Human Resources Minister Diane Finley has told Service Canada to allow employees to celebrate Christmas or the holidays as they please.

In a statement published Friday afternoon, Finley said this includes decorations in Service Canada offices in Quebec and across the country.

Finley's directive follows an email sent last month from the Quebec head of Service Canada, Marc Simoneau, to the 118 offices in the province, directing them not to put up holiday decorations in public areas.

The Service Canada office in Complexe Guy Favreau, Montreal's main federal building, is devoid of any signs of the holidays. It's a stark contrast to Complexe Desjardins across the street, which is decorated with lights, wreaths and a Santa's Village.

There are no holiday decorations up at the Service Canada office in Complexe Guy Favreau in Montreal. Elias Abboud/CBC One employee at the federal building told CBC News it's "too bad, because everybody should have the right to display Christmas decorations."

Political wrangling over wreaths

Liberal MP Denis Coderre brought up the issue in question period Friday, calling the directive "shameful."

NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice asked, "Why do the Conservatives want to steal the magic of Christmas from the Service Canada employees? What do they have against celebrating Christmas?"

Human Resources Minister Diane Finley initially responded by saying there is no national directive against holiday decorations, and added decorations are up at the Human Resources and Skills Development head office in Gatineau.

"Massive trees, well-decorated, wreaths. They brighten up the place, they brighten up our spirits," she said.