The Conservatives have reacted to a new military directive published before Remembrance Day which prevents its chaplains from leading prayer during official functions, with party leader Pierre Poilievre saying he would reverse the policy.
“Now his government is banning Muslim, Jewish and Christian military chaplains from praying at Remembrance Day ceremonies. I will reverse this insanity when I am Prime Minister.”
It says that since CAF members don’t all pray in the same way or at all, “it is essential for chaplains to adopt a sensitive and inclusive approach when publicly addressing military members.”
The new policy supersedes the previous 2013 directive “Public prayer at military ceremonies,” which allowed prayer, but still had guardrails to ensure that the diversity of beliefs was respected.
“The chaplain shall preface the prayer with remarks that invite those who, for whatever reason, are not disposed to pray, to use that time for silent personal reflection or contemplation as others pray,” said the old policy.
Conservative MP Blake Richards asked the Liberal government about the new policy during question period in the House of Commons on Oct. 18.
“Each year, on November 11, we gather to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of our nation. Now, under the Liberal government, our military chaplains are being told they cannot even pray for the fallen,” he said.
Liberal MP Marie-France Lalonde, parliamentary secretary to the minister of National Defence, did not directly answer the question.
“Every day in Canada, we must say thank you to these men and women who, in these times in particular, are defending what we do,” she said. “On November 11, like many of my friends here and my colleagues, we remember. We will always remember the sacrifice of our veterans.”
The new directive removing prayer states that chaplains must “endeavour to ensure that all feel included and able to participate in the reflection with a clear conscience, no matter their beliefs (religious, spiritual, agnostic, atheist).”
It also says that chaplains who do not follow the directive can be disciplined up to being removed from the chaplaincy.
Conservative MP and defence critic James Bezan said the new policy is an “insult” to veterans.
“Remembrance Day has long been a spiritual and religious service for many veterans, in recognition of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to Canada,” he told The Epoch Times in a statement.
Defence critics from the Bloc Québécois and the NDP didn’t return a request for comment by publication time.
