Faith leaders want council to retain opening prayers
Edmonton religious leaders expressed concern Tuesday that a proposal to eliminate prayer at the start of city council meetings would restrict freedom of speech and diversity.
Councillors have started meetings with a prayer since 1978, first choosing speakers from various Christian denominations and for the last 17 years using representatives from a wide variety of Edmonton religious groups.
They put the practice on hold last spring following a Supreme Court of Canada ruling on a case from Saguenay, Que., that determined municipalities must be neutral on matters of belief.
City staff has recommended amending the procedures bylaw to eliminate provisions for a prayer, but Edmonton Interfaith Centre president David Fekete said this would make it appear the city is endorsing non-belief.
“Allowing prayers by individuals is simply allowing freedom of speech and celebrating the rich diversity of this great city,” he told council’s executive committee.
“The only way to remain neutral … is to allow both perspectives to have a voice.”
Robert Hankinson, president of the North American Interfaith Network, said the council prayer was one of the things that made him proud to live in Edmonton.
“We’re so deeply concerned this great celebration and great gift we have to offer to the greater community has been impeded by the actions of the Supreme Court … Pluralism (of prayers) respects the neutrality the Supreme Court is attempting to preserve.”
While some councillors want to find a way to continue some form of religious presentation, others worried a prayer from one faith could upset people attending council who are part of another faith.
Coun. Ben Henderson, who described himself as a “confirmed agnostic,” said he has been uncomfortable in the past when asked to pray. “There’s an act of faith there that’s just not in my experience … I don’t think it’s a fair expectation of us as decision-makers to ask us to pray.”
“It would be an opportunity to reflect on things that bring us together … in such a way that nobody feels their particular system of expression or belief or non-belief is impinged,” Mayor Don Iveson said.
“How we actually manifest that action is something we will work through.”
The committee recommended council scrap the prayer in favour of a moment of reflection when it deals with the issue next week.
Exactly what the reflection would involve will likely require community consultation, but initial suggestions include comments from a philosophy professor and poetry.
“This is disappointing that the Supreme Court has put us in a place that we have to look at a time-honoured tradition that we have had for 38 years,” Coun. Bev Esslinger said.
“I hope this moment of reflection becomes a point … (in which) our community can take pride.”
Of 11 municipalities surveyed that had prayers, six (including Calgary) stopped entirely, four have time for reflection or reciting the oath of office, and Winnipeg has kept the prayer while its lawyers analyze the court ruling. gkent@edmontonjournal.com Twitter@ GKentEJ