West 琉璃神社 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 琉璃神社 council鈥檚 inaugural meeting on Nov. 1, 2022, which is confirmed in meeting minutes on the city鈥檚 website.
鈥淲e鈥檙e an organization committed to secular values,鈥� said Ian Bushfield, BCHA executive director. 鈥淧art of that is the separation of religion and government.鈥�
The report references a 2015 SCOC ruling that 鈥榦pening municipal council meetings with a prayer was an unconstitutional violation of the state鈥檚 duty of religious neutrality.鈥�
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 鈥榃e Yelled At Them Until They Stopped鈥�, 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 琉璃神社, 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.
鈥淪ome gave the cursory 鈥榤essage has been received鈥欌�ut a number have actually responded quite positively to us.鈥�
He said the BCHA has yet to reach out to West 琉璃神社 council but will do so soon. 鈥淎long with the others we identified, we鈥檒l also do a follow-up with all municipalities before the 2026 inaugurals.鈥�
Some councils have updated their bylaws or will no longer include prayers at inaugural meetings, Bushfield added.
Black Press contacted the City of West 琉璃神社 for comment and received an emailed statement.
鈥淲e appreciate the feedback and have noted it for council and staff consideration.鈥�
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.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a complex thing that we don鈥檛 have strong recommendations on but we are exploring,鈥� Bushfield said. 鈥淲e want to make sure we鈥檙e sensitive to all of the history and importance of reconciliation.鈥�
Bushfield added the BCHA is pleased to see the growth in these practices and hopes municipalities follow up symbolic measures with substantive action.
READ MORE:
READ MORE: More Canadians than ever have no religious affiliation, census shows
