OTTAWA (LifeSiteNews) — Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre condemned the ban on prayers at Remembrance Day ceremonies under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
In a November 8 post on X, Poilievre denounced the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) for banning all religious symbols and prayers at Remembrance Day ceremonies when Canadians gather to honour those who fought for freedom.
“Contrary to what Liberals claimed last year, Chaplains are banned from prayers at Remembrance Day ceremonies,” he wrote.
“Canadians should be free to practise their faith alongside fellow Canadians as we commemorate those who made the ultimate sacrifices for our freedoms,” Poilievre continued. “Common sense not woke nonsense.”
Contrary to what Liberals claimed last year, Chaplains are banned from prayers at Remembrance Day ceremonies.
Canadians should be free to practise their faith alongside fellow Canadians as we commemorate those who made the ultimate sacrifices for our freedoms.
Common sense… pic.twitter.com/bFesq2sWGc
— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) November 8, 2024
Backlash over the policy began after several alternative media sources writing articles exposing the military for their anti-Christian regulations.
Last year, the CAF issued a directive placing harsh restrictions on public prayer. However, the orders were rescinded after backlash from Canadians. Now, numerous CAF officials have told chaplains that they plan to enforce the ban this year.
While the chaplains are required to attend the ceremonies, they are heavily restricted in what they can say or even wear as the chaplain scarves “may cause discomfort or traumatic feelings.”
Under the mandate, no prayer and no religious symbols are permitted at military functions. This includes reading passages from the Bible, Torah or Koran. Instead, words should be chosen to “employ a language mindful of the Gender Based Analysis (GBA+) principles.”
Any “spiritual reflection” offered by military chaplains in a public setting (not including church services or private interactions with members) must be “inclusive in nature, and respectful of the religious and spiritual diversity of Canada,” according to the directive.
While Poilievre denounced the policy, Trudeau, whose government oversees the CAF, has been silent. Indeed, his Remembrance Day message to Canadians was notable devoid of any mention of God or prayer.
“When you see the Maple Leaf emblazoned on a uniform, you see a legacy of courage and sacrifice,” he wrote. “That legacy lives on — through monuments, through ceremonies, through stories of patriotism, and through our remembrance.”
When you see the Maple Leaf emblazoned on a uniform, you see a legacy of courage and sacrifice.
That legacy lives on — through monuments, through ceremonies, through stories of patriotism, and through our remembrance. #CanadaRemembers pic.twitter.com/1ZySqjeiEb
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) November 11, 2024
However, while Trudeau attempts to strip Canada of her Christian heritage, a CAF member told LifeSiteNews that “this constant desire to erase God from our culture is highly ideological. Canadians don’t support this. Veterans don’t support this. And we all saw what happens south of the border when the government is out of touch with the traditions and values of its own people.”
“We’re talking about such core traditional values that have kept our society cohesive and functional and flourishing for like hundreds and thousands of years,” he continued.
The CAF member warned that the mandate is not “banning a religion” but “replacing one religion with another religion, and it’s a secular religion.”
He stressed the importance of religion, especially in the military where soldiers are asked to put their lives on the line in service of their country.
“Think of what soldiers go through, what they face in combat,” he said. “You can’t send people into battle without religion.”