| Written by Michael Swan, The Catholic Register,
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 Queens Park, Toronto, ON
"It's a good thing for our legislators as they sit in the seat of power to realize that there is a greater power," he said.
Aly Hindy of the Toronto Council of Imams was happy to see the politicians acknowledge the role of religion in public life.
"It's important to keep our religions. People just want to destroy completely our relations with God. I don't think that's a good thing," he said.
By adding the prayers of Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Bahai and aboriginal spirituality to a list of prayers to be used for the opening of the day's business at Queen's Park, the legislators have added to the province's awareness of minority religions, said Hindy.
"They allow an understanding between religion," he said.
"I don't think this was rammed down anyone's throat," said Farber. "There is a healthy respect in this province for our religious diversity."
Before the June 12 decision to keep the prayer the Speaker of the House had received more than 7,100 e-mails in response to proposals to scrap the Lord's Prayer. Legislature staff found 60 per cent of the e-mails favoured keeping the prayer and another 29 per cent wanted to retain some unspecified form of prayer. There were also 23,000 petition signatures demanding that the Lord's Prayer remain part of the daily business of the legislature.
"We are pleased to note that the importance of prayer has been recognized, and that the prayer best known to the vast majority of the province has been retained," said Catholic Civil Rights League president Phil Horgan in a press release.
Characterizing Liberal Party acceptance of the decision to retain the prayer as "a retreat," United Church minister and NDP MPP Cheri DiNovo continued her push for a multifaith prayer and meditation room at Queen's Park.
"I witness many who are Sikh or Muslim running across the four lanes of University Avenue to go over to the Hart House chapel to pray because there is no space here for them," DiNovo told the provincial Parliament.
Premier Dalton McGuinty, who originally proposed a review of the prayer with a view to respecting multiculturalism, did not vote on the motion to retain the prayer. His mother Elizabeth had opposed any plan to abolish the prayer.
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Michael Swan, The Catholic Register |
| About the author: |
| Michael Swan is Associate Editor of The Catholic Register. He is an award-winning writer and photographer and holds a Master of Arts degree from New York University.
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