MPs from all political parties united on Wednesday to denounce the Canadian Human Rights Commission, which claims that Christmas is a discriminatory holiday against religious minorities.
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“Honestly, in Quebec, we will continue to celebrate Christmas and we will not apologize for celebrating Christmas in Quebec!” railed Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette, after a vote by Quebec parliamentarians.
The elected representatives of the National Assembly came to the defense of the Nativity Festival and unanimously adopted a motion denouncing the federal body, which considers that public holidays linked to Christianity such as Christmas and Easter represent an example evidence of “systemic religious discrimination”. Furthermore, the Commission judges that this “discrimination against religious minorities in Canada is rooted in the history of colonialism in Canada.”
A motion sent to Santa Claus
Politicians from all political parties wanted to affirm loud and clear on Wednesday that Christmas is a “tradition” celebrated in Quebec for several generations. They also invited all Quebecers “to unite” during the holiday season.
Ironically, the motion was sent not only to Parliament in Ottawa and the Canadian Human Rights Commission, but also to Santa Claus.
- Listen to the interview with Simon Jolin-Barrette, Minister of Justice of Quebec and Parliamentary Leader of the Government via QUB radio:
Christmas is not racist
The minister responsible for the fight against racism, Christopher Skeete, also did not mince his words in decrying the position of the federal human rights watchdog.
“The Commission is trying to tell Canadians and by extension Quebecers that Christmas is racist. I don’t think so and I think that Quebecers are with me,” he said, leaving the Blue Room.