Easter, not holiday season
Easter has come and gone and we are now in the month of April. This year, more than any other year, it is time to examine Canadians’ reactions to Easter. I greeted as many people as possible with “Happy Easter” and almost everyone returned the greeting or said “You also”. It was an encouraging sign that people recognize the importance of the long-standing Easter holiday and want to honour it.
However, the same does not appear to be true for our federal government. In fact, during the Easter season, the Veterans Affairs Ministry officially wished veterans and members of the RCMP a happy “March Holiday Season.” The only trouble with this is that there is no such holiday. We don’t have a “March Holiday season.” As I have said in previous letters regarding Christmas, we don’t celebrate seasons or months of the year and, if there is any holiday worth honouring at this time of the year, it ought to be Easter.
Just as the federal government, and various municipalities across Canada have reduced official celebrations of Christmas (the refusal to light up parliament hill with Christmas celebratory lights comes to mind ) and have de-emphasized Canada Day, now the attempt is being made to reduce the meaning and the celebration of Easter. No one I know is offended by Easter and everyone is accommodated by its celebration, whether it has a religious meaning to you or just means more chocolate bunnies.
The federal government, and agencies like the Veterans Affairs Ministry, have no right to erase long standing holidays or create new ones to please their politically correct masters. Canadians know it is Easter. It should be recognized and celebrated throughout the nation as it has always been.
Perry Foster
Duncan