Canada's human rights commission suggests Christmas and Easter holidays amount to 'systemic religious discrimination'



The Canadian Human Rights Commission recently published a paper suggesting that statutory holidays linked to celebrations of Christian significance, Christmas and Easter in particular, are evidence of "religious intolerance."

The report from the federally-funded "human rights watchdog" made little secret of its ultimate aim, underscoring that Canada must work towards the "eradication" of such so-called religious intolerance.

The CHRC was created in 1977 and tasked with administering the northern nation's Human Rights Act. While the outfit allegedly exists today "to help ensure that everyone in Canada is treated fairly," it prioritizes helping specific identity groups and has a team that is 76.8% female.

The commission, which takes for granted that "[s]ystemic racism is a persistent problem in Canada" and receives around $32 million in taxpayer funds annually, has assumed considerable judicial powers in recent decades.

The CHRC now appears keen to tackle what a lesser provincial human rights outfit alternatively termed "systemic faithism."

In an Oct. 23 publication entitled "Discussion Paper on Religion Intolerance," the CHRC stated, "Religious intolerance impedes the ability of Canadian society to be democratic, welcoming, open-minded, and accepting. Only through understanding and acknowledging the existence of religious intolerance in Canada can we begin to address it and work towards its eradication."

"Religious intolerance can materialize in many ways, from microaggressions, to lack of accommodation and acceptance of religious practices," continued the paper.

This intolerance is allegedly "deeply rooted in [Canada's] identity as a settler colonial state" and "manifests itself in present-day systemic religious discrimination."

The National Post highlighted that contrary to the core claim of the paper, the free exercise of religion has been Canadian law since before the nation's confederation in 1867. The colonial Province of Canada enacted the Freedom of Worship Act in 1851, protecting "free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference."

Despite well over a century of religious pluralism, the CHRC paper claimed, "Discrimination against religious minorities in Canada is grounded in Canada's history of colonialism. This history manifests itself in present-day systemic religious discrimination. An obvious example is statutory holidays in Canada. Statutory holidays related to Christianity, including Christmas and Easter, are the only Canadian statutory holidays linked to religious holy days."

"As a result, non-Christians may need to request special accommodations to observe their holy days and other times of the year where their religion requires them to abstain from work," continued the paper.

While the CHRC insinuated that the celebration of Christmas and Easter — in a nation where an estimated 63.2% of the population is Christian — comes at the expense of non-Christians, the paper later acknowledged that Canadian employers and service providers are legally obligated and duty bound to accommodate the religious requirements of clients and employees.

Conservative lawmaker Jeremy Patzer responded to the report, writing, "This is ridiculous. Christmas is celebrated all around the world by people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds. This is another example of woke ideology fomenting within the federal government. I for one will be celebrating Christmas whole heartedly. Merry Christmas!"

John Rustad, the leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia, wrote on X, "The Trudeau Liberals have lost their minds to woke culture. There is nothing discriminatory about Christmas."

Christmas has been celebrated in Canada for well over three centuries and has been a multicultural event for just as long. According to the Canadian Encyclopedia, there are indications that Jean de Brébeuf — an early missionary who was ultimately tortured to death by Iroquois Indians — was celebrating Christmas with the Huron in their native tongue as early as the 1640s.

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Human rights commissioner said Christians believe in 'happy horses**t,' 'magic sky daddy' in unhinged rant amid library's Christmas tree ban. She later resigned.



A member of the Human Rights Commission in Dedham, Massachusetts, resigned after writing that Christians believe in "happy horses**t" and a "magic sky daddy" as part of an unhinged rant on social media amid a Christmas tree ban in the town's public library.

What's the background?

Last year some folks allegedly were "uncomfortable" with the sight of a Christmas tree in the library, which reportedly led to a ban on Christmas trees there this season.

Lisa Desmond, supervisor of the Endicott branch of Dedham's libraries, said in a Facebook post earlier this month, "I found out today that my beautiful library will not have [its] Christmas tree this year. Zero explanation. When I asked I was told 'people' were made uncomfortable last year looking at it. I’m sorry WHAT?"

Desmond said in the comments section of her post that the Dedham public library director made the decision.

Desmond added that in her 28 years at the library, she's "never heard a negative comment. We have celebrated and included everyone in our community. In fact, I was asked to emcee Juneteenth this year. What an honor. Those who know me and my family know we celebrate Christmas Hanukkah. My Muslim friends and Western Indian friends invite me to their celebrations. What an amazing gift. ... Those who know me know I lead with positive intentions. I’m not feeling very positive today. Please bring Christmas back to my beautiful library. And always lead with love in your heart."

Hundreds of comments under her post and several other related posts on Desmond's Facebook page were squarely against banning Christmas trees in the town's public libraries.

'For a motherf***ing Christmas tree'

Desmond also added a Dec. 6 post with screenshots of a profanity-laced rant on a local Facebook page against Desmond and her issues with the Christmas tree cancellation. The rant's author, Diane Loud — whom Desmond said works for a local human rights commission — called Desmond a "selfish, f***ing bitch who does not care about anyone else but herself. For a tree? A motherf***ing TREE? You have put people's lives in a lot of danger. A lot of danger. For a motherf***ing Christmas tree."

The rant also read, "I hope that you — who claim to believe in Christ or whatever happy horses**t you're trying to hide behind — are the least gracious, most hateful, most disgusting trash in the world. Is this what you think your magic sky daddy wants? Where in the Bible was this again?"

And there was even more: "In closing I would like to add a final round of F*** YOU, YOU PIECES OF TRASH. I hate each and every one of you, and I do wish great suffering on you. You are terrible, terrible people."

Interestingly, the rant's author prefaced it all by saying, "I know there's no way to survive whatever sanctions you'll ask the select board to put my participation in commissions that actually try to make people's lives better, so I might as well go for it."

Desmond said in her Facebook post that "police have been notified" about the rant, and she also called for the rant's author to resign from the town's Human Rights Commission.

'Stepped down'

Two days after Desmond shared Loud's rant, it was announced that Loud "has stepped down from her position on the Dedham Human Rights Commission. We sincerely appreciate Diane's service and look forward to working with the Commission on Disabilities to find a representative to take her place."

Created by a vote of Town Meeting in November 2017, the Dedham Human Rights Commission "ensures that residents of the Town enjoy equal opportunity to participate in and enjoy life in the Town regardless of their race, color, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, marital, family or military status, socio-economic status, ex-offender status, or disability," its website says.

Christmas tree ban is no more

After a massive pushback against the Christmas tree ban, the library director soon said they're allowed to go up after all.

Library Director Amber Moroney said in a statement Monday that "Christmas trees will be put up" at both of Dedham's public libraries, WBTS reported.

Moroney said in a statement to Fox News that "the initial decision to not display a Christmas tree was the result of an ongoing review of all our holiday decorations and displays that started back in the spring."

"What has played out on social media is unfortunate," she added to WBTS, noting that "it has negatively impacted our staff and the community, and frankly, transpired before we had even started our seasonal decorating. As we finish decorating for this holiday season, Christmas trees will be put up at both locations." Moroney also said to the station, "To be clear, there is no ban on Christmas at the Dedham library."

A statement from Dedham officials last Friday said "town staff" were "targeted by recent online threats and bullying" over the controversy and that "what could have been something of legitimate discourse turned neighbor against neighbor, and has threatened the safety and well-being of community members and staff."

Here's a video report about the controversy when it was first brewing last week:

Library controversially leaves Christmas trees out of holiday decorationsyoutu.be