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含羞草研究社檚 inaugural meeting on Nov. 1, 2022, which is confirmed in meeting minutes on the city含羞草研究社檚 website.
含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e an organization committed to secular values,含羞草研究社� said Ian Bushfield, BCHA executive director. 含羞草研究社淧art of that is the separation of religion and government.含羞草研究社�
The report references a 2015 SCOC ruling that 含羞草研究社榦pening municipal council meetings with a prayer was an unconstitutional violation of the state含羞草研究社檚 duty of religious neutrality.含羞草研究社�
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 含羞草研究社榃e Yelled At Them Until They Stopped含羞草研究社�, 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.
含羞草研究社淪ome gave the cursory 含羞草研究社榤essage has been received含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可绂but a number have actually responded quite positively to us.含羞草研究社�
He said the BCHA has yet to reach out to West Kelowna council but will do so soon. 含羞草研究社淎long with the others we identified, we含羞草研究社檒l also do a follow-up with all municipalities before the 2026 inaugurals.含羞草研究社�
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.
含羞草研究社淲e appreciate the feedback and have noted it for council and staff consideration.含羞草研究社�
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.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 a complex thing that we don含羞草研究社檛 have strong recommendations on but we are exploring,含羞草研究社� Bushfield said. 含羞草研究社淲e want to make sure we含羞草研究社檙e sensitive to all of the history and importance of reconciliation.含羞草研究社�
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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