Meet Canada’s First Elected Wiccan Member of Parliament?!?
Nope, it hasn’t happened – not that I know of anyway. You see that’s how it is in Canada. I couldn’t tell you which member of parliament is a Christian, Muslim, Atheist, or Pastafarian – that is assuming that they have forgone wearing any religious garbs. Canadians seem rather unassuming when it comes to religion.
Hop on over the border and we see a far louder and prouder religious presence. Perhaps for this reason, our American friends are often viewed as more religious than we see ourselves. Is this an accurate assessment though? If census data is to be considered, it appears that both countries have a similar religious makeup and are shaped by similar trends/movements (such as the religious, but not spiritual groups).
Unlike the United States, Canada’s politicians are relatively shy about publicly proclaiming religious affiliation. During election time, the subject of a candidate’s religion is rarely addressed. I even had a casual look at MPs’ websites to see if I could gauge their religious affiliation. Nope. The matter was entirely different, however, when looking at various websites for members of the United States Congress. In almost all instances, the member’s religious affiliation was clearly identified.
So, what gives? Why don’t Canadians care to know the religious affiliation of politicians? Does it matter? Does apathy to religious disclosure make it easier or harder for religion to influence politics?
And the big question – would knowing the religious affiliation of a candidate influence your voting decision? What if you discovered that your candidate was an Atheist, a Wiccan, or even a member of the Order of the Jedi?
I’d love to hear what my readers have to say. And don’t forget you can do so completely anonymous. As always, please keep it respectful.
M. xo