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The secular state and The secular state and religious pluralismreligious pluralism
METROPOLIS / Ottawa / September 23, 2009
Micheline Milot, Ph.D.
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OUTLINEOUTLINE
Secular governance General characteristics
Canadian characteristics
Religion in the public sphere Current religious diversity issues Topics of debate
Public policy: recognition issues
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1. Secular governance1. Secular governance Frequent associations
French model
Religion confined to private life
Individuals must be secular like institutions
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Four principles of secularismFour principles of secularism
Two principles of law Freedom of conscience and religion
Equality/non-discrimination
Two ways of applying them Neutral state
Separation of church and state
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Historical goalsHistorical goals
Social peace
End of systemic discrimination
No second-class citizens
Being different without being ostracized
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Freedom of conscience and religionFreedom of conscience and religion
Right to believe what one wants to believe
Right to express one’s beliefs or non-belief
Right to change religions or not belong to any
…without fear of impediment or reprisal
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Consequences of freedom of Consequences of freedom of conscienceconscience
Recognition that there are different ideas of what constitutes a good life in a society that accepts pluralism
Prevention from being discriminated against on the basis of beliefs
In a free and democratic society, people do not believe the way others want them to believe.
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EqualityEquality
Between people – believers and non-believers alike
Between religious traditions
Between men and women
Political rights independent of religious affiliation or non-affiliation
Does not mean uniformity Treating everyone the same can be unfair
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Neutral state: Two dimensionsNeutral state: Two dimensions
The state respects all ideas of what constitutes a good life (believers and non-believers) Linked to the person’s moral dignity
The state does not decide which beliefs are “normal” or “acceptable” The state has no theological jurisdiction
Limits: Actual breach of the rights of others or attack on security, public order or physical integrity
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To what does neutrality apply?To what does neutrality apply?
The establishment of policies and statutes
Institutional regulations
Respect for others and their differences
Respect for guaranteed rights and freedoms
Impartiality of decisions made or services provided by government employees
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Separation of church and stateSeparation of church and state
Need to ensure neutrality
Independence of the state from faiths and of faiths from the state
Political order is free to develop collective standards in the general interest of the population
Religion, like any other form of association, is part of common law
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Canada Importance of freedom of conscience and equality
Neutrality of the state is paramount
No state religion in Canada
Preamble to the Constitution (“supremacy of God”): no meaningful scope
= implicit secularism
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2. Religion in the public arena2. Religion in the public arena
“New” visibility
Integrated into common institutions (not separate institutions)
Different perspectives: private life vs. public life
Perspectives on culture sometimes based more on community than on individuals
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Reasonable accommodationReasonable accommodation
Compatible with the neutrality of the state
Not aimed at changing the general workings of institutions
To eliminate indirect discrimination
Or to not impede freedom of conscience and freedom of religion
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Public expression of religious affiliation: Public expression of religious affiliation: DebateDebate
Fear of communitarianism, which would be detrimental to integration
Supposed refusal to share common values
Risk of regression and imposition of archaic values (equality of men and women)
Consequences of prohibiting the expression of religious affiliation
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Threat to Threat to integration?integration?
Process of generalizing believers to a community presumed to be closed
Presumption that individuals are driven entirely by the standards of the group with which they identify
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Opposing argumentOpposing argument
Accepting public expression of religious affiliation can
prevent withdrawal into a closed community that
becomes radical in reaction to the lack of recognition
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Religion = common values?Religion = common values?
Religion is presumed to have an all-encompassing hold on believers, but…
Believers prioritize religious values differently than the secular majority
Believers do not reject “modern” values (apart from some rare exceptions)
Identity has many dimensions and draws on a range of values
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Democratic and legal rights: Dangers?Democratic and legal rights: Dangers?
By and large, religious expression is lived on modern terms Selecting or distancing oneself from certain standards
Diversity within each tradition
Personal direction, not a political desire to impose the same standards on all members of society
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Religious signs in government Religious signs in government employeesemployees
Aim: to not exclude common institutions
Do not have to choose between religious affiliation and a job
Presumption of impartiality
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Limiting factorsLimiting factors
Do not compromise the effectiveness, security and rights of others
These three factors = evaluation of undue constraint on reasonable accommodation
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Equality of men and women at risk?Equality of men and women at risk?
The law prohibits unequal treatment based on sex
Equality of men and women is not necessarily compromised by individual expression of religious affiliation
Religious patriarchy exists; the state must not attempt to step in and take its place
Strengthen awareness of rights
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Real equalityReal equality
Equality of political and legal status for women
Equality of resources to live one’s life
Equality of opportunity (employment, education, justice, health care, housing)
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3. Factors to be considered3. Factors to be considered
Distinguish between the fundamental principles of equality and elements that are incidental
Interconnection of different forms of inequality (economic, stigmatized groups, etc.)
Evaluate the risk of a sense of rejection
Initiatives that do not cause harm to others
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Prohibition of the expression of Prohibition of the expression of religious affiliationreligious affiliation
Done through social exclusion
Form of discrimination, racism
Not all religions have rules on what followers can and cannot eat or wear
Forces individuals to renounce (their faith or their social integration)
Homogeneousness is an unrealistic measure of unity
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TargetsTargets
Aim for integration rather than uniformity
Remain vigilant in order to prevent discrimination
The need for mechanisms to eliminate discrimination is more pressing where there is diversity
Be aware of the impact of the customs of the majority and of their adverse effects