Canada freethinkers want secular government in Saskatchewan; Muslim MLA fine with Christian prayer in assembly

CB Condez Thursday, May 05, 2016

A petition to stop the practice of saying a Christian prayer before government proceedings was brought to the legislature in Saskatchewan, Canada, but the province's first and, currently, the only Muslim Member of the Legislative Assembly said that he does not mind the practice.

Image extracted from "Regina, SK skyline" photo | Wikimedia Commons/Daniel Paquet from Regina, Canada

"I think we should keep the prayer; it is a blessing," said Regina-Pasqua MLA Muhammad Fiaz, as quoted by The Star Phoenix. "The majority of the people agree with it. I totally agree that we should keep the prayer."

He said that it's a tradition, and it does not matter which the prayer originated from, be it from the Quran, the Guru Granth Sahib, the Old Testament of the Bible, or the New Testament.

The petition, which is "calling upon Saskatchewan government to cease its Christian bias in the legislature and in its Christmas messages," was raised by the Regina chapter of Centre for Inquiry Canada, a non-profit freethinking organization, prompting the question of separation between church and state. It is, in a part, a response to a ruling made by the Supreme Court of Canada in 2015.

In that ruling, the court said that a municipal council in Saguenay, Quebec should stop opening its meetings with a prayer, saying that it violates freedom of conscience and religion.

Brad Wall, the Premier of Saskatchewan, reportedly did not apply it since the ruling does not cover the legislature of the province nor the Parliament. Also, there had not been any concern or challenge against it.

The Centre for Inquiry is calling for Wall to lead a secular government in the province. Apart from the removal of the prayer, they also want to end the practice of delivering Christmas messages "which favour one religious perspective over other perspectives or creeds."

"Saskatchewan residents are now submitting this complaint and requesting that the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly acknowledge the spirit of this human rights affirming decision and end prayers in the legislature," says the petition. As for the Christian message, it says, "Residents of Saskatchewan are calling upon the premier to cease these messages or make any such messages religiously neutral."