Religion in Canada
Hey, PZ[1]: Canadian politics are calling you.
Many adults in Canada would not take faith into special consideration when choosing a party leader, according to poll by Ipsos-Reid released by CanWest Global. 68 per cent of respondents say they would be willing to vote for a potential prime minister who was an atheist, or a Muslim, and 63 per cent would back an Evangelical.
Now, part of this is clearly desperation: looking at (mostly) Catholics has given us Martin, Chretien, Mulroney . . . maybe people from other religions would suck less! Part of this is that we’ve already done it. “Can’t say I won’t choose an evangelical when our PM is one!” (Is Preston Manning also one? Stockwell Day is.)
But it’s interesting to compare this with the numbers in the US (which I thought had been discussed more recently by Pharyngulates, but I can’t find it: a comment claims this, but I have no idea where the numbers are from), where a majority of people wouldn’t even vote for an atheist whose policies they agreed with. Of course, it’s easy to claim this when it doesn’t seem to make a difference — Paul Martin, Jack Layton and Stephen Harper are all some form of Christian, and have talked in public about it. (Not to claim they should hide it.)
In January, those three party leaders all wrote about religion in society (Gilles Duceppe abstained, and I do not know what he believes).
Faith Today Magazine, a publication of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC), asked the leaders to respond to the following question: “What role do you think faith should play in developing public policy, and what is the place of religious institutions in contemporary Canadian society?”
[ . . . ]
“It is perfectly legitimate for citizens and legislators to take into account their own deeply held faith convictions in developing public policy, provided that people remain open to the faith and philosophical perspectives of others,” Harper wrote.
First, let’s all stop laughing hysterically for a bit. Notice that we must take into account the faith of others (if it’s deeply held enough), though at least we can also take into account the philosophical perspectives of others, either those who do not have faith, or those whose faith says that it should stay out of politics.
A lot of this has come up because Harper has taken to ending his public addresses by saying ‘God bless Canada’. 26% of Canadians take offense, including (the highest number) 36% in Quebec[2]. 65% don’t care, like me, because I find it much, much, much less offensive than gagging all the MPs, or trying to make a scientist not give a talk about global warming, or fuck with the child care benefits, or dismantle any environmental legislation we have. It’s not that Harper has faith convictions that worry me, it’s not even that he is very public about his religion. (Though I note that other politicians can be public about their religion — and their intent to make policy for everyone, of any religion.) It’s that he seems to plan to make all Canadians follow his religious beliefs in public, if not in private, and that his legislation is totally against anything I want to see in my country.
It makes a nice anglo girl almost believe in separatism.
[1] Zed!
[2] No idea if they also get annoyed by O Canada.
April 27th, 2006 at 12:32 pm
“It makes a nice anglo girl almost believe in separatism”
Except that Qc has its very own creepy politicians (ADQ anyone? or the Liberals’ track record). *sigh*
One aberation you didn’t mention: Harper’s mimicking of Bush policies re: returning dead soldiers. It’s all-round depressing.
April 27th, 2006 at 12:50 pm
The Liberals aren’t separatists, though the ADQ is, but also no one votes for them.
I cannot believe I forgot the soldier/flag controversy.
April 27th, 2006 at 5:11 pm
I couldn’t find the study either, but I know what you’re talking about.
I’ll have to think about moving to Canada. It’s a matter of what will kill me first: raving jesus freaks, or poutine.
April 27th, 2006 at 5:23 pm
Well, both will give you a heart attack. Here you get the poutine — though no one will force you to eat it, you can instead kill yourself with croissants and sugar pie — anywhere else, you get the religion. But gah! If this guy stays in government much longer — and it’s only been THREE MONTHS — he’ll ruin everything. I don’t care! Give us another election! Or maybe just force a coalition between the Grits, NDP, Bloc, so we have neither an election nor this government, Michaelle Jean: you have the power to do this!