No Opening Prayer at Windsor City Council
As promised, prayer is no longer a part of the proceedings at Windsor city council meetings. Instead, council began the meeting directly after a rendition of O Canada.
The Supreme Court of Canada last week ruled the municipal council in the Quebec town of Saguenay cannot open its meetings with a prayer.
In a unanimous decision, the country's top court said reciting a Catholic prayer at council meetings infringes on freedom of conscience and religion.
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens immediately after the court's decision announced the tradition would end in Windsor, too.
Coun. Rino Bortolin is fine with the change.
"I'm more of a supporter of separating church and state, so I do see why the Supreme Court came down in that way. It never bothered me. I think we did it quite well here, as far as representing and respecting all the different faiths," he said.
Coun. Chris Holt reflected on the loss of the prayer.
"It was odd. From years sitting back in the gallery and watching the proceedings, and not having some kind of words of inspiration, it was definitely different," he said.
Coun. Irek Kusmierczyk is calling for the city to look at instituting a moment of reflection to replace the opening prayer.
