West Kelowna is one of seven municipalities identified by a secular organization for allowing prayer at a council meeting in contravention of a Supreme Court of Canada (SCOC) ruling.
A report by the BC Humanist Association (BCHA) states a prayer was offered by the Fire Department Chaplin during West Kelowna council乌鸦传媒檚 inaugural meeting on Nov. 1, 2022, which is confirmed in meeting minutes on the city乌鸦传媒檚 website.
乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e an organization committed to secular values,乌鸦传媒� said Ian Bushfield, BCHA executive director. 乌鸦传媒淧art of that is the separation of religion and government.乌鸦传媒�
The report references a 2015 SCOC ruling that 乌鸦传媒榦pening municipal council meetings with a prayer was an unconstitutional violation of the state乌鸦传媒檚 duty of religious neutrality.乌鸦传媒�
It stems from a 2006 complaint by a Saguenay, Quebec resident who raised a concern about the opening of municipal council meetings with prayer.
Bushfield said the report, titled 乌鸦传媒榃e Yelled At Them Until They Stopped乌鸦传媒�, is a result of research of inaugural council meetings across B.C. in 2018 and 2022.
Of 162 municipalities identified, 26 included prayers in 2018 and seven in 2022, which included West Kelowna, Vancouver, Delta, Colwood, Belcarra, Parksville, and Tumbler Ridge.
Bushfield added the BCHA has reached out to councils that have previously included religious invocations at inaugural meetings.
乌鸦传媒淪ome gave the cursory 乌鸦传媒榤essage has been received乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮溅but a number have actually responded quite positively to us.乌鸦传媒�
He said the BCHA has yet to reach out to West Kelowna council but will do so soon. 乌鸦传媒淎long with the others we identified, we乌鸦传媒檒l also do a follow-up with all municipalities before the 2026 inaugurals.乌鸦传媒�
Some councils have updated their bylaws or will no longer include prayers at inaugural meetings, Bushfield added.
Black Press contacted the City of West Kelowna for comment and received an emailed statement.
乌鸦传媒淲e appreciate the feedback and have noted it for council and staff consideration.乌鸦传媒�
The report also noted a significant increase in Indigenous content at council meetings, rising from 39 per cent in 2018 to 72 per cent in 2022.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a complex thing that we don乌鸦传媒檛 have strong recommendations on but we are exploring,乌鸦传媒� Bushfield said. 乌鸦传媒淲e want to make sure we乌鸦传媒檙e sensitive to all of the history and importance of reconciliation.乌鸦传媒�
Bushfield added the BCHA is pleased to see the growth in these practices and hopes municipalities follow up symbolic measures with substantive action.
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