Change Takes Time. Let’s Get Started.

Sandra Dunham

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.
—Chinese Proverb

As secularists, we would like to stop seeing the government subsidization of religion. Many of us are actively opposing government funding of religious schools, religious hospitals, and other religious charities. CFIC has published a series of reports examining the cost of the charitable tax category “Advancement of Religion,” which makes proselytizing a charitable activity. The key to changing government involvement in religion is public opinion. And the key to changing public opinion is education.

Have you been reading the Cost of Religion in Canada reports? The fourth in the series has been released. These reports are getting some media attention. (See Winnipeg Free Press or CJAD.) During both interviews we were asked, “Do you really think the government will change the rules?” And in both instances, our answer was, “When enough people understand the issue and speak out against it, the rules will change.”

Democratic governments respond to the voice of the electorate. When enough voters articulate their concerns about subsidization of religion, politicians will begin to change the rules. This takes many years. Our role, as critically thinking voters, is to ensure that other non-religious people in Canada understand the cost of government involvement in religion and speak out against it.

Recently, a new national Facebook group, Secular Wall, has been launched with the expressed purpose of connecting Canadians who are opposed to discriminatory and redundant government funding of Catholic schools and hospitals. Consider joining, to show your support and to find out how they are working to coordinate efforts to make Canada more secular.

The Canadian census question on religion underestimates the number of non-religious people. The question is, “What is your religion? Indicate a specific denomination or religion even if this person is not currently a practising member of that group.” In spite of this challenging language, 23.9 percent of Canadians declared no religious affiliation (up from 16 percent in 2001). By contrast, an Ipsos-Reid poll of same year reported the surprising finding that 33 percent of practicing Catholics and 28 percent of practicing Protestants didn’t believe in God.

As the number of non-believers increases, it is our responsibility to include them in the movement to make government secular. The right to be religious in Canada is important (freedom of religion). The need to retain Canada’s strength as a secular nation, based on personal freedom, social responsibility, and the rule of law is equally important (freedom from religion). Please join in the conversation, and invite others to do the same.