West Kelowna is one of seven municipalities identified by a secular organization for allowing prayer at a council meeting in contravention of a Supreme Court of Canada (SCOC) ruling.

A report by the BC Humanist Association (BCHA) states a prayer was offered by the Fire Department Chaplin during West Kelowna council害羞草研究所檚 inaugural meeting on Nov. 1, 2022, which is confirmed in meeting minutes on the city害羞草研究所檚 website.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e an organization committed to secular values,害羞草研究所� said Ian Bushfield, BCHA executive director. 害羞草研究所淧art of that is the separation of religion and government.害羞草研究所�

The report references a 2015 SCOC ruling that 害羞草研究所榦pening municipal council meetings with a prayer was an unconstitutional violation of the state害羞草研究所檚 duty of religious neutrality.害羞草研究所�

It stems from a 2006 complaint by a Saguenay, Quebec resident who raised a concern about the opening of municipal council meetings with prayer.

Bushfield said the report, titled 害羞草研究所榃e Yelled At Them Until They Stopped害羞草研究所�, is a result of research of inaugural council meetings across B.C. in 2018 and 2022.

Of 162 municipalities identified, 26 included prayers in 2018 and seven in 2022, which included West Kelowna, Vancouver, Delta, Colwood, Belcarra, Parksville, and Tumbler Ridge.

Bushfield added the BCHA has reached out to councils that have previously included religious invocations at inaugural meetings.

害羞草研究所淪ome gave the cursory 害羞草研究所榤essage has been received害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克��but a number have actually responded quite positively to us.害羞草研究所�

He said the BCHA has yet to reach out to West Kelowna council but will do so soon. 害羞草研究所淎long with the others we identified, we害羞草研究所檒l also do a follow-up with all municipalities before the 2026 inaugurals.害羞草研究所�

Some councils have updated their bylaws or will no longer include prayers at inaugural meetings, Bushfield added.

Black Press contacted the City of West Kelowna for comment and received an emailed statement.

害羞草研究所淲e appreciate the feedback and have noted it for council and staff consideration.害羞草研究所�

The report also noted a significant increase in Indigenous content at council meetings, rising from 39 per cent in 2018 to 72 per cent in 2022.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a complex thing that we don害羞草研究所檛 have strong recommendations on but we are exploring,害羞草研究所� Bushfield said. 害羞草研究所淲e want to make sure we害羞草研究所檙e sensitive to all of the history and importance of reconciliation.害羞草研究所�

Bushfield added the BCHA is pleased to see the growth in these practices and hopes municipalities follow up symbolic measures with substantive action.

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