Manitoba premier wants daily legislative prayer to be more inclusive

Manitoba's premier wants to change the prayer that's recited in the legislature to make it more inclusive of people who practise faiths other than Christianity, and those who hold no faith at all.

Wab Kinew told a breakfast gathering of religious leaders that while the prayer has no overtly Christian references, it still feels like a Christian prayer. It has references to God, uses archaic English, and ends with "amen."

"I would ask, especially looking around the room here this morning at the people, the good Manitobans who've come together, whether that prayer is representative and inclusive of all of us here today," he said at the Thursday morning multifaith gathering.

While expressing a "deep reverence for Christianity," Kinew invited faith leaders and other Manitobans to rethink the words of the prayer, which the Speaker of the House recites at the start of every session at the Manitoba Legislature.

However, he insists the prayer itself still has a place in the legislature.

He called it an important moment of reflection, during which legislators can put the greater good ahead of their partisan interests.

WATCH | Hear the daily prayer read at the legislature:

The current prayer was adopted in 1937. Since then, its wording has only had minor changes.

After the breakfast, Kinew said in an interview that House Speaker Tom Lindsey proposed a refresh of the prayer. The premier said he supports the call.

Any change to the prayer, however, will require the consensus of other parties. The decision will be left to the legislature's rules committee, which is chaired by the Speaker, and includes the NDP and Progressive Conservative House leaders, as well as the legislature's only Liberal member. 

The Tories wouldn't reveal where they stand on a revised prayer, but stressed a non-partisan process is needed for any changes.

"It is not a decision for the NDP premier or his government to make unilaterally," PC House leader Derek Johnson said in a statement.

Kinew began his Thursday morning address to faith leaders by referring to two prayers he said he hears often.

He said before he starts his day, he uses sweetgrass or sage and prays in the Anishinaabe tradition.