‘Merry Christmas’ message to stay
SASKATOON — “Merry Christmas” greetings will stay on Saskatoon Transit buses.
Following a brief debate Monday during city council’s executive committee meeting, councillors decided Saskatoon Transit buses will continue to carry the ‘Merry Christmas’ holiday greeting. The city is also planning to explore the idea of allowing on buses in the future messages that reflect other religions.
“Quite frankly I don’t see Merry Christmas leaving our signage at all,” Mayor Don Atchison told the executive committee.
Atchison said “Saskatoon was founded 130 years ago on Christianity,” but councillors did open the door for displaying different holiday messages in years to come.
“The mayor made the point today that we have a Christian foundation as a city, but the reality is we are a multicultural community,” Coun. Mairin Loewen said after the meeting. “I think it’s important that the city make every effort to reflect that diversity.”
The debate about displaying ‘Merry Christmas’ on the city’s electronic strollers flared up after a local activist declared the signs “inappropriate” and “discriminatory.”
A complaint was filed by Ashu Solo, who wrote to senior city officials that “Christmas messages on Saskatoon Transit buses make religious minorities, atheists and agnostics who do not celebrate Christmas feel excluded and like second-class citizens.”
In an email last week, city manager Murray Totland mentioned using a “more generic message” on Saskatoon Transit’s buses while a city lawyer reviews the complaint. That email created an internal debate about public messaging. That debate was put to rest with Monday’s decision.
“Merry Christmas means different things to different people,” Coun. Darren Hill said. “For some it’s about the birth of Christ, for some it’s about Santa Claus and presents, for some it’s simply about getting together with family and friends. It’s not up to this council to determine the specific meaning of Christmas and to tell the citizens of Saskatoon what it is.”
Solo, a declared atheist, was also the person who filed a human rights complaint against the mayor and Coun. Randy Donauer for reciting a Christian prayer at the city’s volunteer appreciation breakfast. Solo, who was born and raised in Saskatoon, said he will make good on his threat to file a complaint with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission.
“I think they caved to the pressure ... They were afraid of public backlash,” Solo said in an interview.
“This isn’t just about religious messages on Saskatoon buses. If it goes to the human rights commission this is about getting a judgment that has the effect of banning religious messages by the state throughout the province of Saskatchewan.”
Solo said accommodating all religions is virtually impossible and therefore the practice of displaying religious messages at all is inappropriate.
Although ‘Merry Christmas’ will stay, the city’s cultural diversity and race relations committee will look into including other celebratory messages on the buses in future.