Prayer allowed at civic events in Saskatoon

Watch the video above: Saskatoon city councillors opt not to adopt prayer policy for civic events.

SASKATOON – To pray or not to pray. The city’s executive committee made the decision Monday that the choice would be left to each individual city
councillor.

After months of discussion and stacks of reports, city councillors have decided to stick with the status quo.

“If a councillor wants to go to an event and say what they believe, they’ll be held accountable to that,” said Councillor Troy Davies.

The conversation began in April 2012 when Councillor Randy Donauer recited a prayer before a meal at a civic event.

Local athiest activist Ashu Solo filed a human rights complaint against Donauer, sparking the City to review its policy. Monday, at a civic level meeting, councillors were provided two greeting options with neutral wording to consider.

The following was an option in advance of a meal:

Let us together bow our heads.
We take this moment to pause, before the enjoyment of a meal well-prepared
for our celebration, to recognize and appreciate the gifts from nature
provided, the work of human hands contributed, and sacrifice represented for
our benefit.
Each of us have our own beliefs. Whether we are thankful for the bounty
provided by one God or many, from a great spirit energy that is common to
us all, or simply from the good people behind the door to the kitchen, we are
all together in this moment, full of the grace that comes from being thankful
for a gift that is given.
May we all enjoy the gift that is the good meal before us.
Amen.

The following is a generic greeting, thanks or saying not necessarily contemplating a meal to follow:

Thank you for life and the world, for everyone with whom we share this
together.
Thank you for today. Let us choose today’s goals wisely and live today
perfectly.
Let us ensure that we love and respect ourselves and others.
Guide us through our lives to live gracefully.
Amen.

It has been decided not to adopt the wording and to leave greetings to each individual city councillor.

Ward 7 Councillor, Mairin Loewen, was one of two councillors who voted to have guidelines implemented.

“It’s also important to leave space for people who are not religious and make sure that we aren’t giving preferential treatment to one group of citizens,” said Loewen.

Leah Perrault with the Roman Catholic Diocese said councillors got it right.

“Not just for Christians in our city but for Muslims and for people who celebrate the Jewish faith,” said Perrault. “No matter what people believe, they should have an opportunity to be heard in our city and for their faith to be expressed.”

Solo says the decision to maintain status quo and not adopt a prayer policy leaves him no option but to move forward with his human rights complaint against Councillor Randy Donauer and the City of Saskatoon.

In a news release, Solo said he expects Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission to reject the city’s application to have his complaint dismissed and for the case to proceed to court where he will ask for a judgement that would ban prayers at government events in the province, including the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly.