Objective coverage of church-state and religious liberty developments, with extensive links to primary sources.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Ontario Parliament Keeps Lord's Prayer, But Adds Others As Well
In the Canada, members of Ontario's Legislative Assembly yesterday reached a compromise over Premier Dalton McGuinty's proposal that its sessions no longer open with a reading of the Lord's Prayer. (See prior posting.) Under the arrangement approved unanimously, the Lord's Prayer will stay, but it will be followed by a second prayer. The additional prayer will rotate among religious traditions. It will include Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, Sikh, Jewish and Baha'i prayers, as well as a moment of silence, a Native spiritual passage and a non-denominational prayer blessing Queen Elizabeth and her representative in the province. Today's Ottawa Citizen and Toronto Star report on the decision and reactions to it. A complete transcript of yesterday's debate in the legislature on the motion is available online.