In the year 1867 Canada became a country, a society based on Christian beliefs and values. Today Canada is a multi-cultural society that allows all religions to be practised freely. On the Federal Government’s National Defence and the Canadian Forces website, there is a section addressing religion in Canada with the following quote.

“Nowhere in our Canadian pluralistic society is there as great a reflection of our openness, diversity and tolerance than in our approach to an individual’s understanding of her/his faith or spirituality,” says Rev. Peter Coffin, Chair of the Interfaith Committee on Canadian Military Chaplaincy

As Canada becomes more culturally diverse, the Merry Christmas versus Happy Holidays debate becomes more intense. In Canada we have freedom of speech and whether you say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays, should be an individual decision.

The Canadian Federal Government believes that Happy Holidays is more politically correct because it’s appropriate for all religions, but the government should not be able to regulate whether we say Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas. Businesses should have the right to put up signs saying either and individuals should not have to monitor their holiday greetings to each other.

The Christian community in Lethbridge believes that by using Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas is diminishing towards Christianity. People should have the common courtesy to accept Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays no matter what religion they believe in.

The college has students from 40 different countries, so they have to be tolerant to all of those different cultures. However, they do not enforce a policy regarding what holiday publications sent out by the college can say or what decorations should or shouldn’t say.

Christmas is the government declared holiday, it’s not Happy Holidays or Seasons Greetings. Christmas happens once a year, where as holidays can refer to any particular holiday of the year.

Sorry to all you non-believers out there but you live in Canada and we have the right to say Merry Christmas.