Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Canada was founded on Christian principles. It wasn't founded as a secular country. It was on our Coat of Arms as well as well as in our national anthem, it is our country's heritage and this is simply a fact.
Canada was founded on Christian principles. It wasn't founded as a secular country. It was on our Coat of Arms as well as well as in our national anthem, it is our country's heritage and this is simply a fact.
Chevy our expert may be along and explain this further, but my understanding is that no, Canada was not founded as a christian country. Which is different than being founded on christian principles. The people involved may have indeed been " christians " or not, but there is no mention of god, or christianity in the founding document of of Canada, which is the British North America Act. As far as I can find. Willing to be proven wrong of course.
The only mention of religion in the document is in sections 93 and 93a which " give the Provinces power over education, but with significant restrictions designed to protect minority religious rights during a time when there was a significant controversy between Protestants and Catholics in Canada over whether schools should be parochial or non-denominational. Section 93(2) specifically extends all pre-existing denominational school rights into the post-Confederation era."
There is the controversial preamble to our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but that is not the founding document of Canada, nor does the preamble have any power.
Now, the ONLY thing I can think of, where one might say that Canada was founded as a Christian country, was the fact that the Queen, head of the Church of England, is christian...but by Queen Victoria's day did that actually mean that all colonies of England were automatically " christian".
Chevy our expert may be along and explain this further, but my understanding is that no, Canada was not founded as a christian country. Which is different than being founded on christian principles. The people involved may have indeed been " christians " or not, but there is no mention of god, or christianity in the founding document of of Canada, which is the British North America Act. As far as I can find. Willing to be proven wrong of course.
The only mention of religion in the document is in sections 93 and 93a which " give the Provinces power over education, but with significant restrictions designed to protect minority religious rights during a time when there was a significant controversy between Protestants and Catholics in Canada over whether schools should be parochial or non-denominational. Section 93(2) specifically extends all pre-existing denominational school rights into the post-Confederation era."
There is the controversial preamble to our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but that is not the founding document of Canada, nor does the preamble have any power.
Now, the ONLY thing I can think of, where one might say that Canada was founded as a Christian country, was the fact that the Queen, head of the Church of England, is christian...but by Queen Victoria's day did that actually mean that all colonies of England were automatically " christian".
Help Chevy!!
Chevy will no doubt help out with some factual stuff when he reads this, but I think you're doing just fine Nat.
I'd say "a secular country founded on Christian principles." We have no state religion, as happens in some other countries; and we take our form of government from the UK, where it evolved over centuries, but always within the context of Christian monarchs and Christian society, resulting in Christian principles being used in the UK's colonies and dominions.
Some of the confusion may arise because our monarch is also the monarch of the UK, where she is the head of the Church of England--indeed, in the UK, among her stylings is "defender of the faith." But as we often point out here, the offices of Queen of the UK and Queen of Canada are two entirely different offices that just happen to exist in one person. In Canada, she is simply styled "Queen of Canada," and that's all. Nothing about defending the, or indeed any, faith.
As for the constitutional discussion, you're doing just fine, Nat. I will point out that the Charter is technically a part of the Constitution, although the way they are discussed in the public sphere makes it sound like they are separate and distinct documents. At any rate, there is no mention of religion, establishing a religion, or curtailing a religion or religious practices in the Constitution. Except, as you note, at ss. 93 and 93A, which deal with it in the context of education.
The Charter is a different matter. The preamble to the Charter reads, "Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law," but it could be argued that that phrase doesn't necessarily refer to Christianity. Which God? Whose God? It is somewhat vague that way. This interpretation works well when you realize that it would be a very different matter if the Charter preamble said, "Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and his son Jesus Christ, and the rule of law."
Now, look a little deeper into the Charter; specifically s. 2(a):
Quote:
2. Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms:
(a) freedom of conscience and religion;
So you can believe in a religion or not, as you please; and no government or government actor can force you to do otherwise. Nor can they treat you differently because of your religion (or lack of it), because a little beyond that, we find this:
Quote:
15. (1) Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.
Emphasis added by me. Equal treatment, no matter what your religion, or lack of it. This doesn't always happen in places that have a state religion; though in fairness it does in modern western democracies that do have state religions (e.g. the UK).
Like I said, Canada is "a secular country founded on Christian principles."
I'd say "a secular country founded on Christian principles." We have no state religion, as happens in some other countries; and we take our form of government from the UK, where it evolved over centuries, but always within the context of Christian monarchs and Christian society, resulting in Christian principles being used in the UK's colonies and dominions.
Some of the confusion may arise because our monarch is also the monarch of the UK, where she is the head of the Church of England--indeed, in the UK, among her stylings is "defender of the faith." But as we often point out here, the offices of Queen of the UK and Queen of Canada are two entirely different offices that just happen to exist in one person. In Canada, she is simply styled "Queen of Canada," and that's all. Nothing about defending the, or indeed any, faith.
As for the constitutional discussion, you're doing just fine, Nat. I will point out that the Charter is technically a part of the Constitution, although the way they are discussed in the public sphere makes it sound like they are separate and distinct documents. At any rate, there is no mention of religion, establishing a religion, or curtailing a religion or religious practices in the Constitution. Except, as you note, at ss. 93 and 93A, which deal with it in the context of education.
The Charter is a different matter. The preamble to the Charter reads, "Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law," but it could be argued that that phrase doesn't necessarily refer to Christianity. Which God? Whose God? It is somewhat vague that way. This interpretation works well when you realize that it would be a very different matter if the Charter preamble said, "Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and his son Jesus Christ, and the rule of law."
Now, look a little deeper into the Charter; specifically s. 2(a):
So you can believe in a religion or not, as you please; and no government or government actor can force you to do otherwise. Nor can they treat you differently because of your religion (or lack of it), because a little beyond that, we find this:
Emphasis added by me. Equal treatment, no matter what your religion, or lack of it. This doesn't always happen in places that have a state religion; though in fairness it does in modern western democracies that do have state religions (e.g. the UK).
Like I said, Canada is "a secular country founded on Christian principles."
Yeah Canada!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
