CANADA 150 years of Confederation

God is at the heart of Canadian political history. Discover how and why.

In September 2015, we were in the Canadian election campaign. On this occasion, ImMédi@ explored the sometimes tense relationship, yet still essential that unite God and the governance of the state.

In its last judgments, the Supreme Court of Canada has clearly ignored the spirit of the Canadian Constitution as expressed in its preamble: "Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God […]."

Ironically, this year we have also seen the prime ministers of Canada and Quebec eagerly compete to invite Pope Francis to come celebrate with us in 2017 when it will precisely be the 150th anniversary of the Canadian Constitution, coupled with the 375th anniversary of the founding of the city of Montreal.

A trifle paradoxical. Which cannot help but make us grin.

These paradoxes indicate a latent tension regarding the mention of God in the public arena. When will be the time when God will be permanently dismissed from the affaires of the Canadian state? Could it be soon?

In the event that the Constitution be reopened on the occasion of its 150th anniversary in 2017, will we decide to remove the mention of God, thus giving precedence to the sovereign principle of individual freedom, as if we had insidiously become a secular republic?

To allow us to reflect upon the issue and strengthen our arguments about the importance of God's place in the Canadian state, Perifmedia has prepared this package. Enjoy your reading!

A little bit of history:

1624

At a moment when the young colony of Quebec faces serious hardships, Recollect missionaries propose to consecrate Canada to Saint Joseph who embodies "by delegation", one might say, the authority of God in the country. Samuel de Champlain, the political representative in New France at that time, adheres to this gesture. All residents and several Indians also join in this plea for protection. Pope Gregory XVI will, in 1834, confirm this gesture by naming Saint Joseph "Principal Patron Saint of Canada."

1643

Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve, to thank God for having protected Ville-Marie of an assured loss, carried a cross to the top of Mount Royal, in the middle of what is now Montreal, Canada's first metropolis. Maisonneuve was acting as governor. His gesture was, therefore, a public one that carried a political dimension.

1867

Another significant fact: when the time came to create the country, the Founders of Confederation did not want to, strictly speaking, neither become a monarchy - a political structure that was strongly criticized at the time - nor a republic, even though the latter was popular.

So they created a Dominion. The name of this new political form, as well as Canada's motto, are inspired by Psalm 72. This psalm announces that the dominion of God will extend "from sea to sea and from the river unto the ends of the earth."

Video clip:

GOD AND THE CANADIAN CONSTITUTION: WHAT CHANGES WILL WE MAKE TO THE CONSTITUTION IF IT IS REOPENED ON ITS 150TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2017?

Our Constitution defines the way we live together, and God is present:

Authors speak on issues related to the Canadian elections to be held next October 19th

Discover their ideas and share yours with us.

The belief in God in Canada losing momentum?

Less than it seems…

A vast majority of Canadians believe in God at 82.3%. And they identify themselves as Christians, at 67.3%.

While Stephen Harper, the outgoing prime minister and leader of the Conservative Party, did not hesitate to publicly express God's place in the Canadian state, with an occasional "God bless Canada", the other party leaders are more discreet, but on occasion, they express themselves on the subject. Why? Personal belief or political strategy?

In fact, the media image and the prevarication rarely testify to the deep affiliations of our leaders. Here is a quote from Mr. Justin Trudeau, while he was a Liberal MP for the riding of Papineau.

The author, Andréa Richard, a Québécois activist in favor of secularism, wanted to see withdrawn the preamble to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which refers to God:

." I chose Justin Trudeau, a member of Parliament for Papineau, because I thought that being of a younger generation, he would probably be open-minded

Deepen our reflection:

Extracts from The Invisible Crown

by Francine Dupras and Jean-Marc Rufiange.

"Even if the mention of God in a governmental structure includes certain moral requirements, controversial as we know - it rapidly causes an outcry- would we fear, more or less consciously, what could take its place? A Canada without a Preamble, or a Quebec without a crucifix, would open the door to what despotism? It is common to say that atheistic communism has replaced God by the dictatorship of the masses; the Nazism by the cult of the Aryan race. Would it be a way to protect a country by first recognizing God's supremacy against the imbalances inherent in certain regimes such as totalitarianism, nationalist fascism or even the anarchy of individual rights engendered by a completely unbridled democracy? Theocratic regimes do not guarantee equilibrium either. In their Constitutions, the Authority usually relates to a Caste capable of establishing clerical or hereditary supremacism.

It is important, therefore, to distinguish the relationship which is naturally established between God and the State, and the concept of the separation of the Church and the State. The mention of God in a Constitution has nothing to do with the practice of a religion or belonging to a Church; strictly speaking, the mention of God has nothing to do with confessionality. The relationship between God and the State is of the order of the foundations of politics. It is at the heart of the deliberations that have marked the constitutional evolution of Canada."

"God before the king is what Thomas More (1478-1535) proclaimed even on the scaffold: "I will die a good servant of the king and of God first." This means that even a king cannot appropriate either primacy or absolute power, which belong to God. From that perspective, absolute monarchy is as remote from God politically as atheistic communism. Preceding the condemnation of Thomas More by more than a century, there was that of Joan of Arc (1412-1431). During her ecclesiastical trial, to the question: "Do you not believe that you are subject to the Church on earth, our Holy Father the Pope, cardinals, bishops and other prelates of the Church?" She replied, "My Lord, God first served." The Englisman and the French woman, therefore, have known martyrdom by professing the pre-eminence of God not only over State but over the Church, without denying respect for the authority vested in each of these two institutions.
   

Click right here for continue reading The Invisible Crown on website "Tendances et Enjeux" (Trends and Issue). We are sorry but this document is only available in French.