Quebec town fights to save prayer in city hall

Vancouver Sun
February 18, 2011

CANADA - A Quebec municipality engaged in a crusade to defend the right to pray in public is collecting donations from across the country. Saguenay Mayor Jean Tremblay, a Roman Catholic is appealing a Quebec human rights tribunal decision that ordered him to put an end to this practice and remove all religious symbols, such as the crucifix, from the council meeting room. The human rights tribunal decision handed down last week ruled the prayer goes against people's freedom of conscience and ordered the municipality to pay a $30,000 penalty to the plaintiff. The national assembly observes a moment of silence instead of a prayer, but has refused to take down the crucifix from the legislature. Quebec Justice minister Kathleen Weil reiterated Thursday the government has no intention of going against a unanimous motion adopted by the Quebec national assembly several years ago to preserve its religious symbols, namely the crucifix. [link]

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