Committee Reviewing Military Chaplains’ Prayer Ban at Official Ceremonies Has No Defined Objectives, Deadlines: Document

A Canadian Forces chaplain conducts a memorial wreath dedication held by members of the United States Coast Guard International Ice Patrol at a Titanic memorial service in Halifax on April 15, 2010. The Canadian Press/Andrew Vaughan

The Canadian Armed Forces struck a committee last year to review a new controversial directive prohibiting military chaplains from reciting prayers during mandatory ceremonies, but it has been moving at a slow pace and without defined objectives, a government document shows.

The committee was established in February “following feedback from stakeholders” and has met twice since, wrote the minister of national defence in a reply to an order paper question from Conservative Senator Don Plett.

Plett asked a number of questions about the issue in his formal request for information tabled with the government Sept. 17, such as when the committee was struck, who its members are, and what its terms of references and deadlines are.

“The committee does not have terms of reference,” said the response signed by Liberal MP Marie-France Lalonde, the parliamentary secretary to Defence Minister Bill Blair. “Rather, its goal is to review the existing Chaplain General Directive and consider questions raised by Chaplains and other stakeholders.”

Lalonde also said there is no deadline for the committee to complete its work and the resulting report will be kept for internal use only.

The new Chaplain General directive on “Spiritual Reflections in Public Settings” was issued in October 2023 and replaced the previous directive on “Public Prayer at Military Ceremonies.” The new directive says that chaplains must conform to the religious neutrality of the state and “must carefully choose words that are inclusive” when delivering a “spiritual reflection” in a public setting.

The change caused a backlash last year leading up to Remembrance Day ceremonies and Chaplain General Brig. Gen. Guy Bélisle reacted by allowing a one-time use of the previous directive. That directive allows chaplains to recite a prayer by prefacing it with words encouraging those of different beliefs to pray or reflect according to their own convictions. Bélisle also said a committee would review the matter.

“Last year the [government] tried implementing this directive, but following public outrage, they placed a hold on the banning of prayer and promised this questionable committee review,” Plett commented on social media platform X after receiving the government’s response.

No ‘God’

Plett raised the matter during question period in the Senate on Nov. 19, asking the government’s representative Sen. Marc Gold whether he believes the terms of the committee review outlined in the order paper “sound good enough for such an important change.”

Gold responded that the Chaplain General issued his directive independently from the government and that it “does not ban prayer.”

Conservative Senator Yonah Martin challenged Gold’s assertion by quoting a statement from Bishop Scott McCaig, the Military Ordinary of Canada who oversees the catholic chaplains in the military.

“I have received numerous questions and concerns about the Spiritual Reflection Policy that prohibits the invocation of God by chaplains at mandatory military events,” McCaig wrote on Nov. 8, adding that he is part of the committee reviewing the directive from the Chaplain General.

Martin asked Gold why the government did not overturn the prayer ban if it’s true the decision was made independently by the military.

Gold said he was not familiar with McCaig’s statement and repeated the new directive does not ban prayer.

Plett and Martin also asked the government leader in the Senate if military chaplains who recited prayers on Remembrance Day have been sanctioned, since the directive mentions disciplinary measures for those who do not follow it.

“Again, since there is such a clear difference between the information you’re bringing forward and that with which I have been provided, I will certainly raise this with the minister,” Gold said.

Military chaplains, commonly referred to as “padres,” serve a support function in the armed forces around morale and wellness. The new directive does not prevent them from praying in other settings than mandatory official functions.

The rules around Remembrance Day are a grey area, since the ceremonies are organized by the Legion and not the military. However, many of those ceremonies have military parades where soldiers are on duty.

“While military chaplains are required to modify their language, that decision does not eliminate the inclusion of prayer to God or a higher power by other spiritual representatives at Legion ceremonies,” the Legion previously told The Epoch Times in a statement.

A national defence spokesperson confirmed last year that chaplains are not allowed to use religious language during public spiritual reflections offered at mandatory military ceremonies.

“In such ceremonies, chaplains should not use the word ‘God’ or other references to a higher power such as ‘Heavenly Father.’ This is to ensure that all feel included and able to participate in reflection no matter their beliefs,” spokesperson Derek Abma told The Epoch Times in a statement.