‘Happy March Holiday Season’ Instead of Easter: Veterans Affairs Explains Decision Behind Greeting

Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence Ginette Petitpas Taylor speaks in the foyer of the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Jan. 31, 2024. Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press

The minister of Veterans Affairs says her department didn’t wish a Happy Easter to veterans and serving members of the military on Good Friday because there were other holidays during the month of March.

“Given all the holidays being celebrated over the month of March, including Easter, a decision was made to acknowledge all those celebrating a holiday in the month of March,” Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor said in the House of Commons on May 24.

“An Easter-specific post was published on Easter Sunday,” she added.

In March, Muslims began Ramadan, Jews celebrated Purim, and Hindus Holi.

Ms. Petitpas Taylor was responding to an order paper question from Tory MP Michael Barrett in relation to the social media post from Veterans Affairs on March 29, when Christians celebrated Good Friday—the day marking Jesus Christ’s crucifixion.

“We want to wish Veterans, current members of the [Canadian Forces] and [RCMP] and their families a happy March holiday season!” said the social media post, which drew many reactions.

Mr. Barrett commented on the post at the time, asking if Veterans Affairs was “too woke to acknowledge either the cultural or religious significance of Easter?” He added that the majority of Canadians are Christians and “nobody worth worrying about is offended by wishes of a Happy Easter.”

Ms. Petitpas Taylor said the post had been drafted by her department’s social media team and had been approved up to the director level. She said no disciplinary measures were warranted or taken in regard to the post.

“However, the internal approval process is being reviewed with the goal of ensuring greater oversight on social media plans,” she said.

While the text of the controversial post didn’t mention Easter, the picture attached shows two female sailors preparing a tray of eggs in a kitchen.

The ALT text describing the photo says: “Sailor First Class Saje Olson and Sailor First Class Megan Ivany standing side by side in a kitchen smiling while preparing a special Easter meal for the crew of HMCS FREDERICTON during Operation REASSURANCE, on 09 April 2023 in the Mediterranean Sea.”

The post from Veterans Affairs follows other moves by the military to become more inclusive, which has led to banning military chaplains from saying prayers during official functions ahead of Remembrance Day last November. The military slightly backtracked following backlash.

Other government bodies have also faced backlash over criticism of Christian holidays. The House of Commons passed a unanimous motion in support of Christmas after the Canadian Human Rights Commission portrayed the holiday as discriminatory.

The commission wrote in an October discussion paper that “statutory holidays related to Christianity, including Christmas and Easter,” represent an “obvious example” of “systemic religious discrimination.”