Question about Canadian Policy

[Kilted_Canuck]

Hi all,

I was wondering what the Canadian Federal Government's stance on religious icons in government buildings.

This mostly comes up as in my recent class visit to the Saskatchewan Legislature, there was a large (yet tasteful) naitivity scene in one of the display cases near the entrance. I seem to know quite a bit of information about the United States' Seperation of Church and State laws, but have no idea about Canada's stance.

Anything to help clairify this would be great. ;)

[Yahweh]

From ReligiousTolerance.org - OVERVIEW OF CHURCH/STATE SEPARATION IN CANADA (http://www.religioustolerance.org/sep_cs_can.htm):
Canada's constitution

Section 1 & 2 of The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (http://www.religioustolerance.org/humright.htm#can1) states that certain freedoms are guaranteed and are subject "only to such reasonable limits that prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society." Among these freedoms is are "freedom of conscience and religion..." These sections are vaguely similar to the free exercise clause (http://www.religioustolerance.org/const_am.htm) of the 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

...

Canada has no equivalent to the establishment clause in the 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The link also includes some information about the Canadian "Not Withstanding" Clause.

[TruthSeeker]

Thanks, Yahweh. Very interesting. This issue gets nowhere near as much attention "up here" as it does "down there"

:)

[Kilted_Canuck]

Thanks Yaweh!