Canadians’ relationship with religion is an ambiguous, even ambivalent one. In a way, however — like the monarchy — the Christian God has somehow stuck around. His name is invoked in our national anthem, prayers are still said to Him at every Parliamentary session; even our national motto 'A mari usque ad mare' — 'From sea to sea' — was pulled straight from God’s word (Psalm 72).Whilst church attendance and religious adherence across the country has been trending downward steadily for more than half a century, a 2021 survey by the Association for Canadian Studies found 60.5% of Canadians still “strongly” believed in God. Meanwhile, federal census data from the same year reported 53.3% of Canadians continue to identify as Christian.The fact is, whether religious or not, a majority of Canadians feel some attachment to the historic religion of this country. Christianity continues to exert its influence over us from within, what Charles Taylor has dubbed the “Immanent Frame,” the secular milieu that’s become the norm for everyone living in the modern era. God still exists in the consciousness of Canadians; even if Nietzsche and others thought we would have successfully buried Him by now.Churches continue to dot our streets in every hamlet, town and city across this country. Most of them are empty; some have been vandalized or even burnt to the ground — signs of the times — and yet, when a crisis strikes, Canadians still look to these buildings to open their basements so people fleeing wildfires or floods might sprawl out on the ground for a night. Meanwhile, community members congregate with food and blankets at what is still a central gathering place to do their bit to help.God is a feature of the Canadian state, not a bug. A fact amply proved by historian James Forbes in his recent book, Protestant Liberty, which cites the protestant faith as a key player not only in Canada’s founding, but in our country’s rich tradition of free expression.Canadians continue to celebrate the traditional Christian holy days of Christmas and Easter with enthusiasm because, for the vast majority, if nothing else, it's a part of their heritage. There’s even evidence the religious aspect of the holidays still holds sway with many Canadians, seeing as church attendance typically triples during the holiday season. As little as ten years ago, more Canadians attended a Christmas service than watched the Grey Cup.The idea that Canadians can totally do away with God is as ludicrous as saying we can do away with maple syrup or the Constitution. Certainly, the country is now home to many different faith groups, individuals who profess no faith at all and many who have all but abandoned the faith of their fathers, but God is still hanging around. In many areas of Canadians’ public and private lives, references to God persist, as does the belief that He exists. Faith in God, in some way or another, is somewhat Canadian.Thus, not only is it impracticable, but reprehensible that our Armed Forces should think its role is to decree God is no longer in vogue; something the CAF found itself awkwardly attempting to do ahead of Remembrance Day this year (before backlash from the public and the CAF’s own personnel forced a reversal).The statement in question from the Royal Canadian Chaplain Service is dated October 11 and read that: “The RCChS embodies and embraces the principle of state religious neutrality as a Canadian public institution by not favouring one specific religious faith group or belief system over another.”This might have been all well and good, had Canada ever been a state without a religion. But anyone with a modicum of sense knows it has always been anchored deeply in Christianity.Prior to the CAF’s backtrack, when Lt. Col. Lisa Pacarynuk was asked about the changes coming down from above on the The Morning Rush radio show, she said:“In certain settings, in faith-based settings and church settings, they of course will speak about their own faith and the role that God or their heavenly being has, but in a public setting where there are people who do not believe in God or people who bring different perspectives, they will not use that language.”The absurdity of this statement perfectly illustrates the malaise which has infected Canada’s chattering classes and their underlings; public servants now think it is their duty to wipe religion from the national record.Defence Minister Bill Blair defended the recent directive in a post to Twitter ("X"): “The Chaplain General’s directive seeks to ensure that public addresses reflect the spiritual and religious diversity of Canadians.” Yet I would like to ask the Minister: have the majority of Canadians ever gotten up in arms over Christmas, Easter, a chaplain’s Remembrance Day address or a high school commencement benediction? Because from where I’m standing, Canadians have yet to make their discomfort and distaste at the mere mention of God apparent. It may rather be that most of us don’t mind a lot that He’s still around. In fact, given the warmth with which this obtuse bit of rule-making was received by the public, I would say that’s very much the case.
Canadians’ relationship with religion is an ambiguous, even ambivalent one. In a way, however — like the monarchy — the Christian God has somehow stuck around. His name is invoked in our national anthem, prayers are still said to Him at every Parliamentary session; even our national motto 'A mari usque ad mare' — 'From sea to sea' — was pulled straight from God’s word (Psalm 72).Whilst church attendance and religious adherence across the country has been trending downward steadily for more than half a century, a 2021 survey by the Association for Canadian Studies found 60.5% of Canadians still “strongly” believed in God. Meanwhile, federal census data from the same year reported 53.3% of Canadians continue to identify as Christian.The fact is, whether religious or not, a majority of Canadians feel some attachment to the historic religion of this country. Christianity continues to exert its influence over us from within, what Charles Taylor has dubbed the “Immanent Frame,” the secular milieu that’s become the norm for everyone living in the modern era. God still exists in the consciousness of Canadians; even if Nietzsche and others thought we would have successfully buried Him by now.Churches continue to dot our streets in every hamlet, town and city across this country. Most of them are empty; some have been vandalized or even burnt to the ground — signs of the times — and yet, when a crisis strikes, Canadians still look to these buildings to open their basements so people fleeing wildfires or floods might sprawl out on the ground for a night. Meanwhile, community members congregate with food and blankets at what is still a central gathering place to do their bit to help.God is a feature of the Canadian state, not a bug. A fact amply proved by historian James Forbes in his recent book, Protestant Liberty, which cites the protestant faith as a key player not only in Canada’s founding, but in our country’s rich tradition of free expression.Canadians continue to celebrate the traditional Christian holy days of Christmas and Easter with enthusiasm because, for the vast majority, if nothing else, it's a part of their heritage. There’s even evidence the religious aspect of the holidays still holds sway with many Canadians, seeing as church attendance typically triples during the holiday season. As little as ten years ago, more Canadians attended a Christmas service than watched the Grey Cup.The idea that Canadians can totally do away with God is as ludicrous as saying we can do away with maple syrup or the Constitution. Certainly, the country is now home to many different faith groups, individuals who profess no faith at all and many who have all but abandoned the faith of their fathers, but God is still hanging around. In many areas of Canadians’ public and private lives, references to God persist, as does the belief that He exists. Faith in God, in some way or another, is somewhat Canadian.Thus, not only is it impracticable, but reprehensible that our Armed Forces should think its role is to decree God is no longer in vogue; something the CAF found itself awkwardly attempting to do ahead of Remembrance Day this year (before backlash from the public and the CAF’s own personnel forced a reversal).The statement in question from the Royal Canadian Chaplain Service is dated October 11 and read that: “The RCChS embodies and embraces the principle of state religious neutrality as a Canadian public institution by not favouring one specific religious faith group or belief system over another.”This might have been all well and good, had Canada ever been a state without a religion. But anyone with a modicum of sense knows it has always been anchored deeply in Christianity.Prior to the CAF’s backtrack, when Lt. Col. Lisa Pacarynuk was asked about the changes coming down from above on the The Morning Rush radio show, she said:“In certain settings, in faith-based settings and church settings, they of course will speak about their own faith and the role that God or their heavenly being has, but in a public setting where there are people who do not believe in God or people who bring different perspectives, they will not use that language.”The absurdity of this statement perfectly illustrates the malaise which has infected Canada’s chattering classes and their underlings; public servants now think it is their duty to wipe religion from the national record.Defence Minister Bill Blair defended the recent directive in a post to Twitter ("X"): “The Chaplain General’s directive seeks to ensure that public addresses reflect the spiritual and religious diversity of Canadians.” Yet I would like to ask the Minister: have the majority of Canadians ever gotten up in arms over Christmas, Easter, a chaplain’s Remembrance Day address or a high school commencement benediction? Because from where I’m standing, Canadians have yet to make their discomfort and distaste at the mere mention of God apparent. It may rather be that most of us don’t mind a lot that He’s still around. In fact, given the warmth with which this obtuse bit of rule-making was received by the public, I would say that’s very much the case.
