SASKATOON – The “Saskatoon Prayer Breakfast” used to be called the “Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast” and some event organizers say recent religious controversy has played a role in the change.
Local athiest Ashu Solo filed a complaint with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission after city councillor Randy Donauer’s Christian prayer at a local volunteer’s appreciation gathering last year.
Solo said he wanted an apology from Donauer and Mayor Don Atchison, along with a promise that religion and politics would not be mixed at future government events.
Prayer breakfast organizers say all this controversy was taken into consideration when deciding whether or not to remove the mayor’s title from the event’s name.
“We’re not saying we wouldn’t go back to it – you know, in the future – we’re trying to play it down a little bit this year in light of all that has transpired with the stuff at city hall, but that’s fine,” said Don Funk, prayer breakfast organizer.
He does say other factors played a part in the decision as well.
“At the end of the day, we’re always wanting to be as politically correct as we can as well, so we felt the following lined with the province, which is hosted by the chief justice and the attorney general, we felt that was a pretty good path to follow,” said Funk.
The Saskatchewan Human Rights commission is looking into Solo’s complaint and mediation is being attempted.
“At this point in time, that’s for the solicitors to deal with, and not for the mayor or council or anyone else to deal with, but that’s in our solicitor’s hands,” said Atchison.
The annual breakfast’s name change certainly didn’t affect the numbers. Around 1,600 people showed up, about 600 more than last year.
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