Alberta, Canada: A Canadian man's furious response to a Diwali greeting email has gone viral, drawing widespread condemnation and sparking debate on social media about multiculturalism and corporate inclusivity.

Marty Belanger, a professional engineer from Alberta, launched into an expletive-laden tirade after receiving an email from Netflix marking the Hindu festival of Diwali. The festival, which symbolises the victory of light over darkness, has grown in popularity across the globe, including in Canada, due to the country’s significant South Asian diaspora.

Belanger expressed outrage that companies send him content about cultural festivals he does not celebrate, despite, in his words, "knowing everything" about him through collected personal data.

“You already know everything about me from all my personal information that you keep collecting. Let me repeat some of it. I'm a middle-aged white guy from Alberta, who likes war movies, science fiction, and real crime documentaries. Stop sending me s**t like this,” he wrote in a now widely circulated social media post.

He went on to say, “I don't give a f*** about a festival celebrated by 3rd world immigrants invading my country.”

The post drew sharp criticism, with many users condemning the lack of cultural sensitivity. While one user said, “I don't think they have ever sent me a Merry Christmas email”, others opined that “Netflix probably does it on purpose” and “I unsubscribed 5 years ago.”

A few users seemed to agree with Belanger, calling the festival “pagan traditions” being forced on them, while another user encouraged the Canadian to meet and dine with South Asian Canadians in an Indian restaurant in the area, reassuring him that he would “find that the food is fantastic, and that they are just like you, wanting a better life.”

Some users went ahead and wished him a happy Diwali, with one user stating, “You're in the dark side. You need light. A Festival of lights.”

Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney attended a Diwali celebration in the Greater Toronto Area on Friday. Addressing the gathering, Carney highlighted Diwali’s universal message, stating, “The triumph of light over darkness is at the heart of this celebration.” 

The Ottawa Indo-Canadian Association also celebrated Diwali on October 17. On the occasion, First Secretary Tarun Kumar praised OICA Ottawa for its ongoing efforts to maintain a strong connection with India’s rich cultural heritage.

Netflix has not commented publicly on the incident.