Kinew wants legislature prayer to be made more inclusive By: John Longhurst and Carol Sanders Posted: 10:57 AM CDT Thursday, Apr. 11, 2024 Last Modified: 3:06 PM CDT Thursday, Apr. 11, 2024 Updates

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Premier Wab Kinew wants the prayer that’s read at the opening of daily sittings of the legislature to reflect the views of Manitobans of different faiths as well as atheists.

“It’s a very nice prayer,” Kinew said. “I ask myself whether that prayer is representative and inclusive for all of us today,” he told the ninth annual leadership breakfast organized by the Manitoba Multifaith Council on Thursday.

He said the prayer, which uses language similar to the King James version of the Bible, feels very much like a Christian prayer. It refers to an eternal and almighty God. The prayer has been in place since 1937 and has only undergone minor changes.

He said there may be a way to ensure the brief comments at the start of daily proceedings take into account people of different faiths, atheists and people who believe in secularism.

“I have a deep reverence for Christianity,” Kinew said, noting he begins each day with two prayers from his Anishinabe tradition.

Manitoba is made up of people from many different religions and non-believers, the premier said.

“What is the space for an atheist?” in that prayer, he asked, “or for someone who puts secularism first?”

Kinew invited Manitobans to weigh in on the issue. He said he plans to host a roundtable to gather people’s perspectives.

“We believe it’s time to update this opening to ensure it captures who we are as Manitobans today,” he said, noting it should be something that allows everyone to feel included.

The premier acknowledged such a change could be seen as a source of division by some. He said his goal was “not to divide, but to bring us all together.”

Kinew said he wants the roundtable to bring people from various faith traditions together and include “a role for atheists.”

No timetable was given for the hosting of the roundtable.

Payam Towfigh, president of the multifaith council, praised Kinew’s invitation.

“It makes so much sense,” Towfigh, who is a member of Winnipeg’s Baha’i community, said. “There is so much in common in the core beliefs of every religion… we have more in common than what makes us different.”

The creation of a new, inclusive prayer for the Manitoba Legislative Assembly would be a “tangible initiative” that can “shine a light on our unity in our diversities,” he said.

The council would be prepared to work with the premier on helping with the roundtable, Towfigh said.

“We already have the organization, connections and infrastructure to do that,” he said.

Humanist Canada, a group that has fought for religious neutrality in government settings, welcomed the premier’s comments.

“Our position is really that in any public space, prayer of one tradition or another should not be recited,” said Martin Frith, the group’s president. There are alternatives, such as a moment of silence or reflection, he said.

Tory house leader Derek Johnson called prayer a “sacred and time-honoured tradition” and said any consideration of changes must be done in a non-partisan way that involves all MLAs.

“It is not a decision for the NDP premier or his government to make unilaterally.”

Changing the prayer would require consensus of the legislature’s rules committee, which is chaired by Speaker Tom Lindsey.

The committee includes both the government and opposition house leaders and members of their caucus.

“They could also choose not to have a prayer. That doesn’t seem to be what’s happening, but that’s possible.”–Rick Yarish, clerk of the legislative assembly

The same committee agreed in 2021 that a land acknowledgement should be read daily, in addition to the prayer, said Rick Yarish, clerk of the legislative assembly. The committee gathered input and feedback before agreeing on the wording of the land acknowledgement.

“They could also choose not to have a prayer,” said Yarish. “That doesn’t seem to be what’s happening, but that’s possible.”

Some other legislatures have made changes in the last decade to religious language and symbols.

In 2019, Quebec’s national assembly removed a crucifix that hung on the wall above the Speaker’s chair and moved it to a glass box elsewhere in the building.

That same year, the British Columbia legislature expanded its list of sample prayers that members can use to open proceedings. The expanded list covers more religions and also allows for non-religious statements of reflection.

In 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled a municipal council in Saguenay, Que., could not open its meetings with a prayer. The high court ruled the prayer was an infringement on freedom of conscience and religion.

Meanwhile, in response to a question about homelessness after his presentation, Kinew commended the faith community for “doing so much volunteering and feeding people.”

He mentioned attending an iftar at a local mosque during Ramadan, where refugees were able to be fed without “asking for paperwork.”

For many in the province, there is nowhere to access needed services “except from the faith community,” Kinew said, adding congregations and other faith-based organizations play an important role “when we see someone struggling.”

The multifaith council is an association of faith communities, representatives of faith communities and people from various faith traditions.

It exists to facilitate respect, understanding and co-operation among different faith groups and to serve Manitobans.

— with files from The Canadian Press

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca

faith@freepress.mb.ca

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