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A donation is made into Salvation Army bell ringer Juanita Brown's red Holiday donation kettle December 20, 2005, in Park Ridge, IllinoisPhoto by Tim Boyle/Getty Images

Canadians: Tell Ontario legislature to stop power-grab by chief electoral officer

(LifeSiteNews) — Christmas season has come to Canada and, with it, the predictable backlash by progressives who believe “inclusivity” ends were Christianity begins. 

Newfoundland’s largest mall, Avalon, was forced to reverse a decision to “prohibit the Salvation Army from fundraising in the shopping centre this holiday season and in years to come due to its religious affiliation,” according to the National Post. The ban was focused on the Protestant church’s “Christmas Kettle” campaign. 

You’ve probably seen those sweet elderly ladies standing in front of big kettles ringing bells and smiling at everyone? I saw two of them today at my local grocery storethey’re with the Salvation Army, and they are collecting donations for the foodbank to help hurting families through the Christmas season and winter. 

Fortunately, people were pretty upset by the grinch-like behavior, especially considering that it was taking place at *checks notes* Christmas time. Banning Christians from collecting money for the poor at Christmas (which does happen to be a Christian holiday last time I checkedeveryone else is just free-loading) is still unpopular among Newfoundlanders.  

“We have heard from members of the community and recognize the local impact that the Salvation Army collection campaign at Avalon Mall delivers each holiday season,” mall owners Crombie Reit wrote penitently to the Post. This came as many on social media suggested a boycott. One woman commented on the Salvation Army’s Facebook post: 

They help so many people and NOW the Avalon Mall says this will be the last year for the kettle campaign. They are no longer participating!!! Why????because they say the kettle campaign is based on religion. As far as I am aware, the Salvation Army will help anyone who needs it and not just at Christmas. They do not ask what your religion is and are the first ones to offer assistance to people who have lost everything through house fires etc… This is shameful and I hope the Avalon Mall will reconsider their decision.

A storeowner chimed in: 

This is crossing the line. Hi my name is Chad Parsons and I’m one of the owners of The Scale Shop in Mount Pearl. Myself and Jennifer would be honoured if you wanted to place a kettle at our office. Thank you for the wonderful things you do!

Another shopper commented: 

I won’t be doing any Christmas shopping in the Avalon Mall unless they take back this decision! The Salvation Army helps anyone in need, they don’t discriminate against religion or nationality!

Another mother recalled help she’d received from the charity: 

Salvation army helped my kids with Christmas gifts when we needed them the most for a number of years, I am so grateful for them. The thought that some company based out of Britain (Crombie) would try to bar them from doing kettle work in a Canadian mall is repulsive. Do not try to take Christmas away from Canada … We simply won’t be allowing it.

The Salvation Army helps 900 families at their foodbank in St. John’s every month, and the staff and volunteers are indiscriminate in their willingness to help. The passionate feedback had Crombie changing its mind within 24 hours of the public finding out about the decision to ban the Christmas Kettle for religious reasons, and the news prompted many business owners to step forward to offer the Salvation Army their own stores and companies as fundraising locations. 

According to the Post, the Christmas Kettle campaign launched in Canada in 1903, and all “money raised stays in the local community and supports people in need … last year’s donations provided gifts for almost 3,000 local children and 2,000 family food hampers.” 

As I’ve noted before, Canada’s government and institutions are moving sharply away from Christianitymandating the removal of religion from Remembrance Day, firing police board staff for defending Christianity, and fining a small town for declining to fly the LGBT flagbut average Canadians are far less hostile. 

Pushback still worksand that’s why this story has a happy ending for a change. 

Canadians: Tell Ontario legislature to stop power-grab by chief electoral officer

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Jonathon’s writings have been translated into more than six languages and in addition to LifeSiteNews, has been published in the National Post, National Review, First Things, The Federalist, The American Conservative, The Stream, the Jewish Independent, the Hamilton Spectator, Reformed Perspective Magazine, and LifeNews, among others. He is a contributing editor to The European Conservative.

His insights have been featured on CTV, Global News, and the CBC, as well as over twenty radio stations. He regularly speaks on a variety of social issues at universities, high schools, churches, and other functions in Canada, the United States, and Europe.

He is the author of The Culture War, Seeing is Believing: Why Our Culture Must Face the Victims of Abortion, Patriots: The Untold Story of Ireland’s Pro-Life Movement, Prairie Lion: The Life and Times of Ted Byfield, and co-author of A Guide to Discussing Assisted Suicide with Blaise Alleyne.

Jonathon serves as the communications director for the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform.

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