The holiday season is over for another year, but there’s still a Christmas controversy lingering Saskatoon

The city’s “Merry Christmas” greeting on Saskatoon transit buses sparked a complaint from one citizen, and the debate isn’t over yet.

Saskatoon’s cultural diversity and race relations committee met today to look at the issue with the possibility of sending it to city council.

The man behind the complaint, Ashu Solo, addressed the committee, but taking advice from police, didn’t appear on camera. Solo is a Saskatoon resident from birth and says he has no religious afficliation

“If the city of Saskatoon doesn’t adopt a fair and non-discriminatory policy, I’ll proceed with a complaint to the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission,” Solo said.

After filing his first complaint, social media was sent in to a flurry, but the comments went beyond civil debate. Solo has received over 200 hate messages since the story first broke last month. He’s had messages ranging from name calling to hate mail insinuating he should be run over by a truck and beat with a rifle.

Despite the controversy, Solo does have support from members of the community.

The diversity committee said they want more time to discuss the issue, so it’s been tabled to a closed meeting next week. If the complaint does go to council, it could take until March for further discussion.