Majority would ditch legislative prayers: Poll
Publisher: In-Sight Publishing
Publisher Founding: September 1, 2014
Publisher Location: Fort Langley, Township of Langley, British Columbia, Canada
Publication: Freethought Newswire
Original Link: https://www.bchumanist.ca/majority_would_ditch_legislative_prayers_poll
Publication Date: August 28, 2024
Organization: British Columbia Humanist Association
Organization Description: The British Columbia Humanist Association has been providing a community and voice for Humanists, atheists, agnostics, and the non-religious of Metro Vancouver and British Columbia since 1982. We support the growth of Humanist communities across BC, provide Humanist ceremonies, and campaign for progressive and secular values.
The BC Humanist Association is renewing its call for legislatures to end the practice of opening each day’s sitting with prayers following a new poll that found a majority of Canadians would prefer a moment of silent reflection or nothing.
Currently, Parliament and most provincial legislatures open with a prayer. Daily sittings at the British Columbia Legislature begin with a different Member of the Legislative Assembly delivering “prayers and reflections” of their own devising.
Between July 24 and 26, Research Co asked 1,000 Canadians in an online panel: “As you may know, some provincial legislatures begin their sessions with moments of silent reflection, non-denominational prayers, and/or Christian prayers. Which of the following options would you prefer to begin sessions in the provincial legislature?”
- 39% said a moment of silent reflection
- 13% said a non-denominational prayer
- 19% said a Christian prayer
- 22% said none of the above
- 8% said not sure
The margin of error is +/- 3.1%, nineteen times out of twenty.
Ian Bushfield, Executive Director, BC Humanist Association:
Three in five Canadians support ending legislative prayers and would replace it with a moment of silence or nothing at all. This was consistent across every demographic.
Support for replacing prayers is strongest among women (65%), those 55+ (64%), Quebecers (66%) and federal Liberal voters (70%).
Bushfield:
Not only is ending legislative prayers popular, doing so would make our legislatures consistent with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
In 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that prayers at municipal council meetings are an unconstitutional breach of the state’s duty of religious neutrality. However, the Court didn’t address whether its ruling applied to Parliament and provincial legislatures.
See the full demographic breakdowns
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