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Friday, April 17, 2015

Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie agrees to abide by Surpeme Court ruling banning prayers at city council

Shortly after being elected last Fall, the new Mayor of Mississauga, Bonnie Crombie, decided that the City Council would continue to say a prayer before each council meeting. She voted in favor of continuing the practice even though she heard the arguments against it and even though she knew that the Ontario Court of Appeal (in 1999) had ruled it illegal [Mississauga council debates removing Lord’s Prayer from meetings].
Crombie, who is Catholic, said she doesn’t have a problem with the recitation of the prayer. But, she does want to touch base with the municipality’s 11 councillors to get their opinions.

She has already heard lot of different ideas from her peers, such as leaving the practice the way it is to replacing it with a non-denominational blessing to even rotating a prayer from a different faith before each meeting.

"I don’t think there’s anything wrong with (reciting the prayer)," said Crombie. "But, I am asking each councillor about it and there is a diversity of opinion."

...

Larry Moran, who described himself as an atheist, is also a University of Toronto professor and an advisory fellow with the Centre for Inquiry Canada, an organization he said strongly supports the separation of religion and government.

He wrote a blog post condemning the practice in Mississauga earlier this year and Moran estimates about 30 per cent of Canadians aren’t religious. He strongly believes the Lord’s Prayer before council should come to an end.

"There is no reason to invoke any of the gods at a public meeting of any government body," said Moran. "It sends the wrong message to … citizens who don’t believe in those gods or who believe in other gods. Nobody has been able to tell me why religion has to be mixed in with government business."
Now Bonnie Crombie says she will obey the law—no mention of fairness or of consideration for non-Christians in the community. Oh well, at least she's not going to fight it and cost the city lots of money.

The Toronto Star reports that the mayor of Oshawa plans to ignore the Supreme Court decision. I bet he backs down after talking to the city lawyers [Oshawa mayor plans to keep Lord’s Prayer].
Brampton Mayor Linda Jeffrey stopped the practice of reciting the Lord's Prayer before council meetings earlier in the year and today Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie indicated her council will now do the same, after the Supreme Court decision. At the beginning of the year she supported keeping the Lord's Prayer in Mississauga council meetings.

"Today’s ruling sets a precedent and the City of Mississauga will abide by the Supreme Court’s ruling," Crombie said.

At the beginning of the year Crombie supported keeping the Lord's Prayer in Mississauga council meetings, after Councillor Carolyn Parrish had pushed to remove it from council meetings.


15 comments :

Robert Byers said...

These Mayors should make a fuss on behalf of Canadians.
They really should demand its illegal for the Suprem court to dictate these things.
The constitution is from Canucks and , in effect, we signed it giving it authority for us to obey it.
The people didn't sign a banning of existing prayers etc etc or christmas holiday or anything.
Its a invention, as the court said, of evolving constitional structures. It isn't evolving. Its a contract.
I say don't obey any decision that clearly revokes the peoples right to govern ourselves.
The judges are not the boss. no excuses about multicultural goals.
The jusges must obey the constitution. no overthrow it by making it into their own desires.
Let the people vote. Dismissing the people, like in so many decisions, is a attack on our freedom, our British heritage of freedom.
The court is selected on their expected opinions by the government and for other reasons. They are not credible.
Using our constition against us is a stab in the back.
It will never be Canadians decision as long as its these "jusges".
Its just like third world nations.
If the people don't govern then we are not the bosses. We are not free. Simple.
I will not obey this court decision. Its illegal.
We need a judicial revolution. This is not settled or other decisions.
I insist we are free people and only we consent to our government if they govern under our rules.
The constitution is fine and our idea but only a part of the government. Its not a King.
We are the King.
We never said our excellent idea of religious equality or neutrality meant that our existing practices were to be made illegal.
It was not a Nazi like sweeping away. our religious heritage is engrained in everything.
All Canucks should pat attention to this coup of the courts saying they rule Canada and not the people.
I suspect , observing, people smell these court decisions are a historic rejection of a free democratic people.
On e of the threads here said CANADA bans prayers.
Nope. Canada had no say. Dictators did.
This shall not stand i think.

Jmac said...

What should atheists swear on when they go to court? Should there be an alternative book, like "the origins of species"? Should the atheists swear: " So help me Darwin" while holding their famous book up?

colnago80 said...

I don't know about Canada but in many US jurisdictions, witnesses agree to swear or affirm. Affirmation requires no book what so ever. As usual, Pest is a pest indeed.

Jmac said...

Why do you think I got this nickname?

Jmac said...

I met Bonnie few years back before she became a serious politician. If Mr. Plastic S had not been involved, I gotta say she is one great looking woman for her age.

anthrosciguy said...

Any politician who pushes theocracy in a country like Canada isn't a serious politician. It wastes time and costs money, at best. She should do some actual work as mayor instead.

Faizal Ali said...

Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie agrees to abide by Surpeme Court ruling...

Strange wording: "agrees to abide." She's a Canadian, and a politician besides. What choice does she have other than to "abide" by Canadian law?

The idea that "God's law" should be able to trump the law of a democratic society is the very reason that prayer should play no part in the process of government.

SRM said...

Especially since there is no such thing as "God's law", but merely the laws of humans that are differentially interpreted and continuously modified by religious people throughout time and across sects.

It's beyond remarkable that this conversation need occur amongst people greater than 9 or 10 years old...but such is the effect of religious indoctrination. Now excuse me while I go out and stone someone to death for breaking the sabbath.

Robert Byers said...

Its ones moral duty , especially asa a politicianGods laws, to not abide illegal decisions that overthrow the peoples government.
This is such a law and others from a Supreme court dictating to the nations its moral and other important decisions.
Gods laws are the very laws we must be obedient to. They are natures laws.
The great conclusions of our great rights.
We only agree not to impose the different religious laws on each other.
However this is not a athesist nation.
We are under Gods laws by our consent. We never said otherwise.
Just like in america where the CREATOR is written as the author of their inalienable rights.

Larry Moran said...

Robert,

The vast majority of city councils in Ontario do not say a prayer before every meeting. Would it really bother you to attend one of those council meetings?

The Rat said...

I have given evidence in courts and inquiries, and when the bible is automatically proffered I request an affirmation. You say "I affirm on my honour..." and that does the job. In my opinion, that is the way everyone should do it. If someone feels that their own personal honour is not good enough to hold them true, then I would rather they not be giving evidence in a court in my country. Over to you, Pest.

Robert Byers said...

no. i never knew some did pray. i thought it was banned long time ago.
I would vote for a prayer but only in a general way for the creator so as not to make others defined by a Christian prayer.
Yet this is about judical dictaorship in my country overthrowing the right to govern ourselves.
Its another one. Then its very offensive for a court to steal my peoples heritage and Christian beliefs.
its an attack on Christian faith of my ancestors and today and on me.
its very unneeded for a great judicial authority to interfere with the peoples decisions.
Yet the illegality and usurpation of legitimate power is revealed in this decision.
They are revoking our ancient form of gov't and are a dictarship.
This must not be obeyed. They are not the rulers and the constitution gives no right to rule the nation. . Its only basic rules the people agreed too. Not banning prayers a long time standing.

Larry Moran said...

@Robert

In an ideal society we would not have to set up a legal system to prevent some people from infringing on the rights of others. In such a society, everyone would be tolerant and sensitive to the views of others.

Unfortunately, we do not live in an ideal society. You are a perfect example of someone who must be forced by society to do what you should do in order to get along in a diverse community. That's sad and it's even sadder that you don't understand why imposing your beliefs on others is wrong.

anthrosciguy said...

I don't see how not forcing me to sit through a prayer in order to attend a government meeting "steals" your heritage and beliefs.

judmarc said...

Very much worth checking out: CBS News look at being atheist in the US, particularly the South, including Mississippi middle school history teacher who lost his job when a student found out he was an atheist.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/atheists-in-godlessness-we-trust/