Manitoba mulls changes to opening prayer read in legislature

Posted on April 11, 2024 by Peggy

The province is looking at refreshing the opening prayer that is read by the Speaker at the opening of each legislative session.

Premier Wab Kinew says it’s been 15 years since the prayer read inside the Manitoba legislature was updated — and a change is long past due to make sure all Manitobans in 2024 feel included.

Kinew spoke at the ninth annual Multifaith Leadership Breakfast Thursday morning, and told Global Winnipeg it’s important for Manitobans of all faiths — or none at all — to work together.

“I think we deal with these big challenges — whether it is homelessness, public safety, health care, dealing with the economy, making it more affordable … these are big, big challenges,” Kinew said.

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“The only way we’re going to overcome them is by coming together and having unity — but that has been the Manitoba way for the past 150 years.

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“Our faith leaders here coming together today to send that message of working together across different denominations, different cultural communities … I think that sends a good message for everybody that even if we don’t always identify in the same way, we can still come together to deal with the big challenges we want to see Manitoba and Winnipeg improve on.”

The premier said the opening prayer has historically referenced a Christian worldview, but his government would prefer to see the symbolic gesture reflect the values of Manitobans from all walks of life.

The province will host a roundtable event to gather perspectives on the prayer before making any potential changes.

“Whether you’re a spiritual person or not, if you choose to identify as an atheist … or you just don’t know the answers to some of those questions,” Kinew said, “I think the point is there’s room for everyone to come around the table and see even if we have our own unique backgrounds, unique identities, how are we going to make Manitoba that place that we want to be proud of for our future?”