Two secular humanist organizations jointly apply for intervener status at Supreme Court hearing of Bill 21

The following essay first appeared in the June 2025 edition of Critical Links, the newsletter of the Centre for Inquiry Canada.

Two secular humanist organizations jointly apply for intervener status at Supreme Court hearing of Bill 21

The constitutionality of Quebec's Bill 21, which (among other things) bans provincial government employees from wearing of "ostentatious" religious clothing and symbols, is heading to the Supreme Court of Canada.

No issue has split the secular community of Canada like Bill 21. Several organizations, including CFIC, Canadian Secular Alliance, and BC Humanist Association, have come out strongly against the legislation. Humanist Canada has not taken an official position on the bill (though it did host a four part webinar series on the topic). The Mouvement Laïque Québécois - which stood staunchly against prayers to open municipal council meetings - is a major proponent of Bill 21. 

CFIC has covered the progress of this legislation extensively. CFIC came out against the bill back in 2019. In May 2020, Critical Links described the unsuccessful court case to suspend the bill until the full challenge could be heard. In November 2020, CFIC reported on the case as it was heard at the Quebec Superior Court, and again in April 2021 when the Quebec Superior Court rendered its verdict. The third and fourth episodes of Podcast for Inquiry were dedicated to secular arguments in favour (Caroline Russell-King) and against (Catherine Francis) the bill in early 2022. 

From the April 2021 Critical Links article: "The ruling largely upholds the provisions of Bill 21, with two notable exceptions: The bill would be “inoperative” for English school boards in the province, and restrictions would not apply to sitting Members of the National Assembly." Many groups still affected by Bill 21's provisions appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada, as did the Quebec government, which was unhappy with the exemption for English school boards.

The Supreme Court of Canada will hear the case later this year or in early 2026. The BC Humanist Association and Canadian Secular Alliance have filed a joint application to be interveners in the case. (The CSA was an intervener in the Saguenay (municipal prayers) and Trinity Western University (see here and here for details) cases.) Both organizations, like CFIC, believe that Bill 21 is an unjustified infringement on religious expression, and will argue that Bill 21 should be struck down.

There was a large number of organizations that applied for intervener status in this case, and typically only a few such requests are granted. A decision is not expected for several months; Critical Links will keep you up to date on this case.

Secularism in Canada with Rocky Mountain Atheists

After my successful presentation of Stab Everyone You Love to Rocky Mountain Atheists late last year, I was welcomed back earlier this week to talk about the history of secularism in Canada.

It was wonderful to see some now familiar faces via Zoom and there was a lively Q&A session afterwards. The recording is now available. Watch and enjoy!

House of Commons recommends ending religious privilege

The following essay was originally published in the February 2025 edition of Critical Links.

If the primary purpose of your organization is "advancement of religion", and all your group does is proselytize, it is eligible for charitable status in Canada. Centre for Inquiry Canada documented that this single policy choice costs Canadians over $3.2 billion every year in its Cost of Religion in Canada reports.

Every year, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance publishes a report containing recommendations for the following year's budget. The latest report, published in December 2024, contained Recommendation 430: "Amend the Income Tax Act to provide a definition of a charity which would remove the privileged status of “advancement of religion” as a charitable purpose."

There are many reasons why this would be good public policy:

• Financial: In a time of high deficits, saving Canadians taxpayers over $3,000,000,000 annually is wise financially, and good politics.
• Philosophical: Canada is (or should be!) a secular nation, where the government is neutral in matters of religion, neither supporting nor suppressing religious expression. Giving a multi-billion dollar subsidy to organizations that self-declare their primary purpose to be evangelizing is the government playing favourites.
• Protecting Canadian sovereignty: Canada did not decide the criteria Canada Revenue Agency's uses to determine which organizations are eligible to be recognized as charities. We inherited these rules from Britain, which made a decision over a century ago, based on the introduction to a law over 400 years old. Canada has never amended them. It's well past time for Canadians to decide what constitutes a charity in Canada.
• Accuracy: Trying to convince others to view the world as you do is certainly permissible, but it's hardly a charitable act. Such organizations should be non-profits, not charities.

To minimize disruption, the implementation could proceed in two phases: 

• Announce a deadline (say, the end of 2025) after which organizations may no longer apply to become a charity with the primary purpose of "advancement of religion".
• Give existing charities with a primary purpose of "advancement of religion" a deadline (say, the end of 2028) to either:
• Convert to a non-profit organization; or
• Declare an alternate primary purpose (advancement of education, alleviation of poverty, or other purposes beneficial to the community).

An administratively straightforward process should be created for religious charities to convert to a non-profit or designate an alternate primary purpose. 

Canada has just taken the first step on the path to becoming a more fair, just, and secular country. It's a long road from a Finance Standing Committee recommendation to implemented policy, and CFIC will continue to press for removal of "advancement of religion" as a charitable goal until this becomes a reality.

I was a guest on the Apostate Sisters YouTube channel

I met Nancy and Patti, the Apostate Sisters, at BAHACON in August. I gave a brief impromptu talk about CFIC and they liked it so much they invited me to be a guest on their YouTube channel. It was a fun conversation, and I'm pleased with how it came out. This is a great introduction to my views on activism, secularism, Humanism, parenting, changing society, and much more. Enjoy!

Podcast for Inquiry S3E19: Kate Cohen believes atheists should be out and proud

Kate Cohen talks about her journey from privately knowing she was a non-believer to writing We of Little Faith: Why I Stopped Pretending to Believe (And Maybe You Should Too). She discusses how being an atheist and a commitment to honesty informed how she raised her children, and how being forthright about her lack of belief in social interactions has simplified her life. We also talk about some of the challenges associated with being an open atheist.

Kate is a Washington Post columnist and some of the articles she references in the conversation are below. 

• A Car Ride with Lena
• In America you have to opt out of religion in public life. That's backwards. 
• America doesn't need more God. It needs more atheists. 

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Podcast for Inquiry S3E18: Greg Oliver asks: Why is religious discrimination official provincial educational funding policy?

Greg Oliver, founder and president of the Canadian Secular Alliance, believes that governments should not favour one faith over another, nor believers over non-believers. That three Canadian provinces continue to this day to fully fund a Separate school system for a single faith - Catholicism - is an egregious violation of secular principles that should guide our public policy. Greg explains why Catholic schools are funded, how two provinces stopped funding sectarian schools, addresses many myths about the separate school system, and what we can do about it. (Check out the new organization Alumni to Amend Section 93.)

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Podcast for Inquiry S3E11: The Founding Myth with Andrew Seidel

Andrew Seidel (@AndrewLSeidel) is the author of The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism is un-American, and works for Americans United for Separation of Church and State. He and Leslie discuss the birth of the United States and its founding documents. Andrew reveals that America was not intended to be in any way a Christian nation, yet a significant minority has come to believe that is not the case. Andrew also talks about the very real threat that today’s Christian Nationalists pose to American democracy. 

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Cost of Religion in Canada at Toronto Oasis

I was the guest speaker at the March 17, 2024 meeting of Toronto Oasis. I opened my remarks with two startling claims: that I have psychic powers, and that Canada subsidizes religious institutions by over $5.6 billion every year. 

I proceeded to explain how the latter number was derived, based on rigourous research by the Centre for Inquiry Canada, but remained mum about my purported clairvoyant abilities. 

My presentation runs from 1:05 to about 25:20, followed by an extensive Q&A session with members of Toronto Oasis. 

Toronto Oasis is a secular community that meets online every Sunday morning for community discussions on engaging and sometimes controversial topics.

Enjoy!

The God Gig is Easy!

Keith Semple has started a podcast, where he talks about being a Northern Irish Humanist living in the United States. I was his guest and talk give a Canadian perspective on politics and secularism, as well as my own journey to secular Humanism. It was a fun conversation, and I hope you enjoy it too.

My favourite quotation from Keith: "Leslie, I think you have a career in simply making bumper stickers for secular people."

It's available via The Semple Truth wherever you listen to podcasts, on Keith's Semple Truth website, or you can watch it below:

Let me know what you think.

Putting a Number on the Cost of Religion in Canada

Last month I had the pleasure of being part of a roundtable discussion with the BC Humanist Association, hosted by Humanist Canada, about the cost of religion in Canada. It was a fun and engaging conversation, covering most of what was discussed in CFIC's Cost of Religion reports, plus some additional insights based on original research done by the BCHA.

Watch and learn how just a few policy choices from all three levels of government costs Canadians over $5.6 billion - yes, with a "b" - every year, in direct and indirect subsidies to religious organizations. 

Podcast for Inquiry S03E04: Maryam Namazie and The Paris Appeal

Maryam Namazie (@MaryamNamazie) is the spokesperson for One Law for All and the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain. In December 2023, the CEMB released The Paris Appeal, calling for Laics of all countries to unite. Maryam explains the purpose and content of The Paris Appeal, and along the way gets into the difference between laïcité and secularism, and reveals the religious court system in England that denies many women the rights they ought to enjoy. Maryam also talks about World Hijab Day, what the hijab means, and concludes with a passionate analysis of Québec’s religious symbols law.

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Podcast for Inquiry S03E03: Sandra Dunham asks: Why does Canada give $5.6 billion annually to religious charities?

Canada allows organizations that do nothing but “advance religion” to be classified as charities. This policy decision costs Canadians at least $5.6 billion every year, according to the Centre for Inquiry Canada's Cost of Religion reports. Sandra Dunham explains what this amount includes, how it was calculated, and the many benefits that religious institutions enjoy in addition to this figure.  

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Calgary Police Service provides Honour Guard to Calgary Leadership Prayer Breakfast

I wrote the following article for the December edition of Critical Links, the monthly newsletter from the Centre for Inquiry Canada. 

Calgary Police Service provides Honour Guard to Calgary Leadership Prayer Breakfast

You might recall "Bob", the Calgary Police Service Sergeant who has had his complaint with the Alberta Human Rights Commission officially recognized (see articles from the June and August Critical Links). While we wait for his case to be heard, CFIC learned from Global News that "On Oct. 19, members of the [Calgary Police Service] honour guard escorted keynote speaker Nigel Hannaford to his seat at the Calgary Leaders Prayer Breakfast, as part of the opening ceremonies." There are several things problematic about this decision by the CPS:

• According to Global News, last month was the 55th year of the Calgary Leadership Prayer Breakfast. There has been no demonstrated safety or security need for a police presence at any previous event.
• The purpose of the CPS Honour Guard is to represent the service. Some events, such as the Stampede parade and Remembrance Day, always have an Honour Guard. Other events are at the discretion of the Honour Guard Executive and the Chief. That the leadership of the Calgary Police Service gave its implicit endorsement to an organization that "affirms our faith in God through prayer, testimony, scripture reading, and fellowship" lends credence to Bob's claim that the CPS favours Christianity over other faiths. The police service must remain neutral in such matters of religion, as the Supreme Court ruled in the Saguenay case in 2015 (listen to or watch the Podcast for Inquiry episode on this topic) and affirmed in the Trinity Western University decision in 2018 (read my analysis of the TWU ruling). While the CLPB has every right to endorse Biblical teachings and exhort government to follow Christian precepts, CPS providing an Honour Guard to the CLPB is a violation of state neutrality and should not recur. 
• The content of this year's keynote address, by Nigel Hannaford, contains much that must make many active Calgary Police Service officers uncomfortable (at best):
•  Hannaford rails against many Canadian laws. He describes Medical Assistance in Dying as "Doctors killing people", in violation of the commandment "Thou Shalt Not Murder". He pities the "Christian doctors [who] find themselves up against the government" about abortion. He even takes aim at the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, lamenting that "The Bible-based morality that you grew up with, that once informed Canadian law, was quietly but explicitly rejected in 1982 [when the Charter was adopted]." CPS officers are sworn to uphold the law. Why would it endorse someone who is asking his audience to reject it?
• He claims that there is "No proof that Christians murdered indigenous children" in residential schools. While there is much to be learned about the extent of abuse, there are thousands of documented deaths at residential schools (see the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission). And while he does call for "these sites to be examined," referring to unmarked graves, notably absent was a call for the release of records from the Catholic Church, which continues to refuse to allow access to its voluminous documentation relating to Canada's residential schools. First Nations members of the Calgary Police Service (among others) doubtless would not approve of Hannaford's remarks.
• Hannaford calls for Canada to become (or return to) a theocracy. He says, "Once, Canada's laws reflected a Biblical understanding of truth. [...] Then Canada adopted the Charter. Their [nine Supreme Court justices] job now is to interpret the law with the Canadian consensus, not the Bible." Later, Hannaford regrets that "We are now finding that Canadian law is often, and increasingly, at variance with our Bible-based worldview." Again, while individual Calgary officers are welcome to attend such an address as private citizens on their own time, why did the CPS endorse the Calgary Leadership Prayer Breakfast, and by extension its keynote speaker's call for Bible-based law in Canada? 

The decision to provide an honour guard to Nigel Hannaford at the Calgary Leadership Prayer Breakfast shows tremendous disrespect to the diverse community CPS is tasked with protecting, as well as offending a sizable proportion of its own members.

Bob's human rights complaint against the Calgary Police service because of its "Christian-default" practices continues to wind its way through the system. If you know an Alberta lawyer with human rights experience, please contact Leslie Rosenblood, CFIC Secular Chair. 

Podcast for Inquiry S02E22: Dr. Teale Phelps Bondaroff: Do cities listen to the Supreme Court?

Is secularism church-state separation or government neutrality in matters of religion? What does state religious neutrality look like? When the Supreme Court of Canada issues a ruling, is that the final word? What is the difference between a welcome, a traditional greeting, a cultural practice, and a prayer, especially in the context of indigenous nations and reconciliation?

Dr. Teale Phelps Bondaroff (@TealePB), research coordinator at the British Columbia Humanist Association, answers all these questions and more. His team at the BCHA contacted every municipality in British Columbia, Manitoba, and Ontario to determine whether they are in compliance with the Supreme Court of Canada’s 2015 Saguenay ruling, which unambiguously decreed that opening municipal council sessions with a prayer was unlawful. He describes how some municipalities try to sneak in religious content with “stealth prayer”, and why ecumenical prayers, non-denominational prayers, or rotating prayers from different religious groups, are bound to fail if the goal is to have an inclusive democracy.

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available:

Sudbury Inmates on Suicide Watch Offered Only the Bible

Back in April, I spoke with Jenny Lamothe, a reporter for Sudbury.com, about a terrible policy at the Sudbury Jail: inmates on suicide watch can read nothing except the Christian Bible.

“There is no evidence that I have ever encountered that indicates that religious texts are effective in helping those who have suicidal ideation,” I told her. “As someone who is greatly in favour of evidence-based treatment, I would hope that our penal system would use those materials that have proven efficacy for those in dire need. So the policy of restricting access to religious materials makes no sense to me, because there is no evidence that it will achieve its stated goal.”

Ms. Lamothe also noted that Canada subsidizes "religious charities to the tune of $5 billion a year."

Read the full article on Sudbury.com. 

Secular news from May 2023

The following article appeared in the June 2023 edition of Critical Links, the monthly newsletter from the Centre for Inquiry Canada. 

A roundup of secular news from the past month:

• Canada’s Coat of Arms no longer features religious symbolism. The Canadian Royal Crown that sits atop the Canada Coat of Arms has been redesigned. The new Crown features Canadian imagery (maple leaves and a snowflake) instead of religious symbols (crosses and a fleur-de-lis). While the change has little practical impact on Canadians (personally, I couldn’t recall what Canada’s Coat of Arms looked like before reading about the redesign), it’s refreshing to see Canada slowly and steadily weaning itself off its erroneous self-conception as a Christian nation. 
• Iran hangs two convicted of blasphemy. It is for good reason that “theocracy” is generally considered to be a pejorative term. Countries where religious authorities run (or significantly influence) the government tend not to respect human rights (consider Iran, Afghanistan, and Russia, among others). In the midst of an uprising wherein Iranian women are publicly removing their hijabs in record numbers (despite severe repression from government authorities), Yousef Mehrad and Sadrollah Fazeli-Zare were executed for “burning the Quran” and “insulting the Prophet of Islam,” according to the country’s judiciary. Fortunately, because Canada repealed its blasphemy law in 2018, Iran can no longer point to Canada for moral cover. 
• Forced-birth organization makes short list for federal funding. The Canada Student Jobs program is in the news again. In 2017, controversy erupted because federal funds were being funneled to organizations that would force a woman to give birth against her will (they refer to themselves as “pro-life” groups). The government revised the rules, but in a way that religious groups claimed restricted their religious freedom. After another overhaul of eligibility criteria, Priests for Life has recently made the short list for federal funding. Priests for Life has not yet been awarded any money, but it will be interesting to watch the government attempt to balance women’s rights with religious freedom. 

Podcast for Inquiry S02E12: Justice-Centered Humanism with Roy Speckhardt

Roy Speckardt is the past executive director of the American Humanist Association. We speak about his latest book, Justice-Centered Humanism. Conversation topics include:

• Roy’s journey to Humanism
• How to get Humanists involved in activism
• How Humanism leads to Social Justice
• Environmentalism
• Sentientism (referencing PfI S02E06 with Jamie Woodhouse)
• Secularism

Subscribe to Podcast for Inquiry today wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify iTunes Google Deezer Stitcher Player.fm) or listen here:  

A video recording is also available:

Ontario Takes First Step to Merge Public and Catholic School Boards

The following article appeared in the June 2023 edition of Critical Links, the monthly newsletter from the Centre for Inquiry Canada. 

Ontario Takes First Step to Merge Public and Catholic School Boards

Of course, the Conservative provincial government doesn’t describe its actions as a merger of the public and separate school systems. But with the introduction of Bill 98, section 195.1 gives the Ontario Education Minister the power to “direct two or more boards to enter into an arrangement” to share “use of a school site, part of a school site or other property of a board.”

This is a tacit admission that having a distinct Catholic school system leads to waste on a scale sufficient to warrant a legislative fix. The financial argument against a fully funded separate school system is compelling on its own: Ontario spends approximately $10 billion each year on Catholic schools, and could save $1.5 billion annually by having a single publicly funded school system for each official language. CFIC also objects to the separate school on ethical grounds: It is inherently discriminatory, violates secular principles, hampers students’ quality of life, and worsens educational outcomes. 

The Ontario government clearly understands that the status quo is unacceptable and unsustainable. Bill 98 is a small, tentative step in the right direction. Write to Ontario Minister of Education, Stephen Lecce, and tell him the bill does not go far enough. When the province holds consultations in your community, ensure your voice is heard. Public and separate school boards should share not just their buildings, but also their curricula, oversight, and administration. The Ontario public and separate school systems should be merged. 

Are You (Or Do You Know) An Alberta Lawyer With Human Rights Experience?

The following article appeared in the June 2023 edition of Critical Links, the monthly newsletter from the Centre for Inquiry Canada. 

CFIC was recently contacted by a Sergeant (I will use the pseudonym “Bob”) in the Calgary Police Service (CPS). He brought to our attention that many of CPS’ informal practices assume its members are Christian by default.

A few examples of how Christianity is embedded in the CPS:

• When the CPS built a new headquarters a little over a decade ago, it included a chapel. The design clearly makes it a Christian room of worship, with an altar, pews, stained-glass windows, and a Christian saint prominently displayed. A CPS document describing its intended use listed predominantly Christian ceremonies (“wedding services, baptisms and christenings”). While lip service was paid to other faiths (“Any or all of the rows can be removed to accommodate special purposes, such as First Nations ceremonies, the placement of prayer mats for Muslim prayer services”), the document makes clear that the standard, default, and assumed use of the chapel was for Christians and Christian rites. 
• Before getting married, Bob and his fiancee took the CPS couples’ course, intended to assist officers and their partners with their relationships. The instructor — a psychologist (with inflated credentials) under contract for 23 years with the CPS — stated couples with previous sexual partners cannot achieve the same level of intimacy as those that “saved themselves” for marriage. While a common Christian trope, there is no evidence that couples without previous sexual partners have happier, healthier, or longer relationships. 
• The instructor also stated LGBT couples would need a separate course “because of the number of sexual partners they have” and “they would make the straight couples feel uncomfortable.”
• Bob asked to provide a secular invocation at a service dinner in lieu of the customary Christian grace. The request was grudgingly granted, but the management team made it clear such efforts were unwelcome (loudly proclaiming “Amen” after the invocation).
• The CPS has a District Chaplaincy program. However, unlike the Canadian military (listen to Podcast for Inquiry with Marie-Claire Khadij to learn more about the Canadian Armed Force chaplaincy program), all 13 chaplains in the CPS are Christian pastors. There is no representation for other faiths, First Nations people, or the non-religious.
• Some of the CPS chaplains represent the Billy Graham Association, which believes (among other things) in evangelizing Christianity and that “marriage is exclusively the union of one genetic male and one genetic female.” Needless to say, this is hardly inclusive of non-Christians and members of the LGBT community. 

The CPS has made some improvements in recent years:

• The chapel was renamed Memorial Hall (likely as a result of a complaint filed by Bob). 
• The “intimacy” portion of the couples’ course has been removed.
• The CPS instituted an official policy of religious neutrality (which has since been removed).
• Recruits are no longer invited to seemingly secular ceremonies that turn into a Catholic mass, though the CPS still hosts Catholic services including a Christmas Eve mass).

Nonetheless, in many respects the Calgary Police Service remains a “Christian-default” workplace. Bob has faced retaliation in ways subtle and overt for his attempts to make the CPS a more inclusive, welcoming, and secular institution. Therefore, in September 2021, Bob submitted an official complaint with the Alberta Human Rights Commission.

The AHRC has reviewed Bob’s complaint, and has accepted it as valid (most files are rejected at this stage). It will therefore proceed to a conciliation hearing (yet to be scheduled). 

CFIC will be writing a letter of support for Bob’s case, outlining the legal requirement for the Calgary Police Service, as an agent of the state, to respect the principle of secularism: not privileging one faith over another, or belief over non-belief. 

If you know an Alberta lawyer with human rights experience, please let me know at rosenblood@centreforinquiry.ca.

We will keep you apprised of Bob’s case at the AHRC in future editions of Critical Links.

Podcast for Inquiry S02E07: Philippa Carter: What is a Religion?

Philippa Carter (@PhilippaCarter) has her PhD in Religious Studies, is a professor within McMaster’s Society, Culture & Religion degree program, and teaches a course called, “What on Earth is Religion?” Yet there is no simple answer to this straightforward question. The conversation ranges from religions to cults, philosophies, creeds, and worldviews, with stops at free expression and secularism along the way. 

If you enjoy this conversation, you might also like the Podcast for Inquiry episodes featuring Catherine Francis, Caroline Russell-King, and James Turk.

Subscribe to Podcast for Inquiry today wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify iTunes Google Deezer Stitcher Player.fm) or listen here: 

A video recording is also available: