Banff 
Santa Claus has officially received the green light to embark on his legendary Christmas Eve journey, thanks to none other than Canada’s new Minister of Transport, Anita Anand.
Credit: Transport Canada
This delightful announcement came with a touch of festive humour as Minister Anand shared the news in a whimsical YouTube video.
This year’s announcement is rather straightforward and not as playful as previous years’ messages when Pablo Rodriguez gave the green light to Santa’s eco-friendly, emissions-free sleigh last year or as thrilling as when Justin Trudeau and Omar Alghabra went on a ‘Secret Mission’ to authorize Santa’s annual journey.
The video shows the briefing by the minister’s assistant and Anand, which involved reviewing documents, approving air passenger protection regulations, and signing off on media statements “about how auto theft is down by 19%.”
“ Don’t forget, we need your urgent approval to clear Santa’s flight. He’s scheduled to take off soon; it’s one of your new responsibilities as Minister of Transport,” the assistant reminds Minister Anand during the video, and she responds, “I’ve been so looking forward to doing this. Is Santa well-rested and ready to fly?”
After confirming that Santa and his reindeer team were in top shape, Minister Anand made the all-important call to the big man himself to give the final thumbs-up for his global voyage.
Transport Canada is also hard at work behind the scenes, ensuring that all holiday travellers – from reindeer to regular folks – enjoy a safe and smooth season. In her message, Minister Anand extended her best wishes to all Canadians, encouraging everyone to embrace the festive spirit responsibly.
So, it’s official: Santa’s sleigh bells will soon ring out as he soars through the night sky, delivering joy and gifts to children around the world, and NORAD Santa tracker goes live on December 24th, 4:00 am MST.
As Santa himself said, “Merry Christmas to you, too!” And don’t forget, everyone – he’s watching, so stay on the nice list!
