Different prayers for different faiths may get ‘everyone on board’ with changing legislature prayer: Kinew

Posted on December 25, 2024 by Peggy

Manitoba’s premier is open to the legislative chamber hearing a rotation of different prayers reflective of various faith traditions so more people can see themselves and their religious practices reflected.

Wab Kinew says a roster of different prayers was one idea floated during a prayer summit the government held in September with the leaders of various faith traditions and experts in secularism.

Some people said “why don’t we have like a roster of seven, eight different prayers … one day it’s the Christian prayer, the next day it’s a Buddhist reflection, an Indigenous prayer maybe on the third day and so on and so forth,” Kinew said in an interview last Thursday.

The summit also heard from proponents for a multi-denominational prayer, which is in line with the premier’s comments in April when he told a breakfast of religious leaders he wanted the prayer to be more inclusive of people who practice faiths other than Christianity, and those with no faith at all.

Each sitting day at the legislature begins with the Speaker of the House reciting a prayer.

While the prayer, adopted in 1937, has no overtly Christian references, it still feels like a Christian invocation, Kinew previously said. The prayer has references to God, uses archaic English, and ends with “amen.”

WATCH | Hear the daily prayer read at the legislature:

This is the Manitoba Legislature’s daily prayer

9 months ago

Duration 0:29

House Speaker Tom Lindsey reads the prayer that begins every session at the Manitoba Legislature. Premier Wab Kinew says he wants the prayer updated to be more inclusive, but all-party support is required.

After the summit, Kinew said the government compiled a document with what it heard from attendees and sent it to Speaker Tom Lindsey, who initially proposed a refresh of the prayer.

Any change to the prayer will require the consensus of other parties. The decision will be left to the legislature’s rules committee, which is chaired by the Speaker, and includes the NDP and Progressive Conservative House leaders, as well as the legislature’s only Liberal member.

No timeline has been determined yet.

Kinew hopes the opposition can “see themselves reflected in some of the options put forward,” he said.

“It might be that having that roster of different prayers, where different faith communities might each have a turn hearing their specific way of praying reflected in the legislature, that might be the way that we can sort of ensure everyone is on board.”

Changing with society

He said he’s heard good uptake from spiritual leaders to the idea of adjusting the prayer, which he insists remains a good opportunity for legislators to put the greater good ahead of their partisan interests.

“The overall message that we heard” from summit attendees is “it’s really important that our democratic institutions keep pace with where our society is at.”

The NDP government, however, may struggle to find consensus with the Opposition Progressive Conservatives, given some fierce disagreements between the parties of late.

The NDP wanted to strike an all-party committee late this year to explore potential supports for local journalism outlets, but it never got off the ground. Meanwhile, the NDP has denied the PCs request for an all-party committee to develop an economic response plan in response to incoming president Donald Trump threatening to hit Canada with a 25 per cent tariff.

PC House Leader Derek Johnson said his party hasn’t been consulted about the NDP’s interest in changing the legislature prayer.

“We remain open to discussion but urge the NDP to adopt a more collaborative and transparent approach to ensure any changes reflect consensus among all members,” Johnson said in a statement.

All parties agreed to incorporate a land acknowledgement into legislature proceedings in 2021.

The full text of the daily prayer:

“O Eternal and Almighty God, from whom all power and wisdom come, we are assembled here before Thee to frame such laws as may tend to the welfare and prosperity of our province.

Grant O merciful God we pray Thee, that we may desire only that which is in accordance with Thy will, that we may seek it with wisdom and know it with certainty and accomplish it perfectly.

For the glory and honour of Thy name and for the welfare of all our people. Amen.”