The Purported “Supremacy of God” in Canada
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): The Good Men Project
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2018/06/29
The Freedom of Thought Report seems like one of the most comprehensive reports on – ahem – free thought known to me.
It provides great reportage in its Canada section. I highly recommended it. In the Constitution Act 1982, there is a statement:
Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law
It amounts to a symbolic representation of God into the Constitution Act 1982. Note, the presumption, probably, at the time, given the demographics of the nation, amounted to an Abrahamic theistic God. It would seem, by implication, to leave out no gods, no Supreme Being stated as “God,” and non-Abrahamic gods.
That is, the symbol leaves out the non-religious who do not believe in gods or a God, the polytheistic, and the non-Abrahamic faiths. With the continued decline of the Christian religion and much of the Abrahamic religious cultural influence on Canadian society, this section may need new discussion, especially oriented around its removal.
The report also states, “…the French version of the national anthem references carrying a sword in one hand and a cross in the other. While these are symbolic, and aren’t used to justify discrimination, the preamble was used as an argument from city lawyers in Saguenay (see below) for allowing governments to endorse prayer/religion as part of public office.”
Again, find another case with the symbolic representation of a Deity or a Theity within formal Canadian public life. This seems unfair once more. At bottom, it seems rude. At the top, it represents some moderately serious concerns around equal representation through no representation or preference of any god or God within Canadian formal public life.
There has been some progress, for example, on the front of the purported or alleged supremacy of God. That is, the prohibition of the saying of prayers in the middle of municipal council business. In addition, there are formal and public, and vocal, supporters including the Mouvement Laïque Québécois. The case was brought forward by one resident in Saguenay in Quebec.
That Mouvement Laïque Québécois supported it. The questions then emerge for other areas in which further equality can be had through the retraction of discriminatory symbolic gestures, by implication, in favour of some belief preferences over others. A proposed revision of the Constitution Act of 1982 from the current|:
Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law
To the following:
Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the rule of law
It becomes more concise, to the point, and enjoyable to both the eyes and the efficiency gods (joke), also representative of the broad base of Canadian society (and a growing one for that matter) through no preferential symbolic representation. As a principle employed with a gentle gesture and nudge, in a Canadian tone, why not make the changes, please?
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