A Girl Guides chapter in Ottawa has declined to participate in the annual Santa Claus parade due to the group’s policy of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
One of the organizers of the Kanata Santa Claus Parade in west Ottawa, Councillor Allan Hubley, told The Epoch Times on Oct. 24 that he invited a number of community groups to take part in the parade on Nov. 25, and the Girl Guides declined.
“The parade is a large community event that many groups including the Guides have participated in for years, in fact, decades,” he said.
Mr. Hubley said the Girl Guides responded that the Girl Guides of Canada (GGC) does not allow them to be part of a Christmas parade or any religious event, as part of the Guides’ policy on diversity and inclusion.
“There are no restrictions on who participates and I would argue we are more inclusive because we welcome everyone where the Guides are now excluding multiple events,” said Mr. Hubley.
“While Christmas is certainly a religious holiday, the parade itself is a large collection of community groups from hockey, baseball, gymnastics, Scouts and many businesses from the area. The Guides always walked in their uniforms and were very much appreciated by residents,” says Mr. Hubley. “We raise donations for the Kanata Food Cupboard which is not a religious group.”
Mr. Hubley said the news was disappointing, especially because his grandson’s Scouts group is participating, while his two Girl Guide granddaughters cannot participate. “I couldn’t believe it at first. I said please check. Apparently, there is something being sent out to all the groups to tell them that they can’t do that,” he said.
Secular Activities
The GGC did not respond to requests for comment by press time, but a statement made by CEO Shannon Benner said that the Guides have “been working diligently to ensure that all activities offered by the organization are of a secular nature so that we are providing an inclusive space for all.”“As a result, participating in activities that have a connection to a specific religious celebration are not part of the program offering at GGC. The Girl Guides program platform offers suggestion for Guiders and members looking to create inclusive and fun unit experiences,” said Ms. Benner.
In a statement, then-CEO of GGC Jill Zelmanovits said the organization is “changing the name of this branch to further remove the barriers of membership for racialized girls and women.”
“It is clear that this change is the right thing to do—Girl Guides cannot be represented by a term that causes any girl harm,” Ms. Zelmanovits said.
She added that the Girl Guides are focused on “diversity, equity, and inclusion” and that the organization needs to “listen to the lived experiences of racialized girls.”
“GGC is a secular organization, which means that Guiding is not affiliated with, nor privileges any religion or faith-based beliefs, behaviours and traditions. As a secular organization, we welcome girls and women from all and no religious affiliations. Being a secular organization signals Guiding’s belief in providing a safe space and sense of belonging for all girls.”
Guide leaders are instructed to make holiday celebrations “more inclusive” by focusing celebrations around “seasons of the year,” for example. “Moving away from religious practices that effectively exclude many girls allows us to remain true to our values and work towards serving all girls,” says the handbook.
