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BC Humanist Association poised to sue the City of Parksville over prayer (www.cheknews.ca)

submitted 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/19670880

“The 2015 decision by the Supreme Court in Saguenay, (QC), prohibits municipal councils from including prayer in their meetings and in the last two inaugural meetings, in 2018 and 2022, Parksville has included prayers, overtly religious prayers, in their inaugural meetings and that’s a violation of the constitution,” said Teale Phelps Bondaroff, the research coordinator with the BC Humanist Association.

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 6 months ago

If you watch municipal or provincial news conferences it’s fairly common to hear a First Nation blessing at its start, like a recent one in front of Nanaimo Regional General Hospital on Tuesday.

What's weird is the video doesn't show it, and the article doesn't quote it. That said, I think if anything, it's a fantastic compromise. Now not only are we removing direct religious action, we're replacing it with something that helps with reconciliation.

I would also argue there's a pretty large difference between people in power using their own religion to open an event like this, and people in power giving space to those without power to open an event.