The Bloc Québécois is calling for an end to prayer in the House of Commons

Since 1877, before each sitting, the delegates must stand and the President of the House recites a prayer with Judeo-Christian flavor beginning with Almighty God… and ends in Amen. However, this practice has only been part of regulations since 1927.

Bloc members believe it is more appropriate now to replace the recitation of a prayer with a moment of contemplation if the members and the citizens they represent have different religious and spiritual beliefs.

” Our goal is to ensure that this moment of reflection is more representative of all parliamentarians, but also of all citizens of Quebec and Canada. “

Bedroom respects the beliefs and non-beliefs of all parliamentarians as well as the populationcan we read in the Bloc motion calling for a change in the rules of the House.

Bloc members are also disputing thecommitment to the principle of separation of religion and state, to diversity of opinion and to freedom of conscienceas well as respect for secularism and religious neutrality of the state and for the sake of inclusion.

When asked about the content of the Bloc’s motion at the entrance to the Cabinet, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau avoided the question by saying the government currently has other priorities.

Not a government priority

People all over the country, they talk to me about the cost of living, they talk to me about the issues of the war in Ukraine, they talk to me about inflation, they talk to me about climate change… On these big issues we are continue to focus onhe explained.

Still in effect in many provinces, the recitation of a prayer at the opening of the proceedings was officially replaced by a moment of contemplation in Quebec in 1976. in honor of the members of this Assembly, who are not all of the same religionwas at that time explained by the president of the National Assembly, Clément Richard.