Separation of church and state is vital

Russell Hallbauer, president of Taseko Mines Ltd., the company behind the controversial Prosperity goldcopper mine proposal in the Interior, is in hot water for a letter he wrote to Environment Minister Peter Kent.

In the letter, Hallbauer argues that “native spirituality” related to the territory around the mine should not be considered during the mine’s environmental review process nor should aboriginal prayers be permitted at the hearings. On the first point, Hallbauer is wrong; on the second, he has a point.

We’ll leave B.C. native people to explain their spirituality, but if part of it includes a sense of the “specialness” or unique value of a piece of land or territory, that’s something we all can feel and which must be considered during a review of whether to allow construction of a mine or other project.

But Hallbauer’s concern about native prayers before government hearings is fair. We must maintain a separation of church and state in Canada. Natives have no more right to feel insulted that someone doesn’t support aboriginal drumming and prayers at a government hearing than any other Canadian should feel that their religion isn’t included.

The reason for the separation of church and state is that one person’s religion shouldn’t be imposed on someone else. Native people, more than anyone, should understand that.

What do you think? Email a brief comment, including your name and town to: provletters@theprovince.com.