Directives to military chaplains urge expunging God, religion from Remembrance Day, public ceremonies

[brihard]

Speaking of which my SIL is nominating Shirl to be the National Silver Cross Mother - lets hope it works out, I would love to march once again with the Old Guard. Edward Campbell will you join me in that? Dangerboy you too

If you guys could swing that I’d be honoured to buy the first round afterwards

 

[Ostrozac]

Hopefully we will make the French version more acceptable first if we decide to go down that rabbit hole.

The bilingual version, as used by the Government of Canada and certain Montreal sports teams, is actually the most religious version, as it includes both the English references to God and the French references to carrying the cross.

 

[Edward Campbell]

The bilingual version, as used by the Government of Canada and certain Montreal sports teams, is actually the most religious version, as it includes both the English references to God and the French references to carrying the cross.

The bilingual version, as used by the Government of Canada and certain Montreal sports teams, is actually the most religious Christian version, as it includes both the English references to God and the French references to carrying the cross.

FTFY

The gov't, writ large, is, I think, correct to want to reduce the extent to which any religion is seen to be "established' or dominant.

 

[mariomike]

Regarding Remembrance Day 2023.

Monday Nov., 13 is the Stat. Holiday.

We had a poll, and twelve-page discussion, about that. Opinions varied.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Let's stir up this hornet's nest again, with the latest as of Wednesday 29 Jul 2026:

Canadian Armed Forces Military Personnel Instructions 03/26 – Spiritual reflections in military settings - Canada.ca

The purpose of this instruction is to provide direction to commanders and all members of the CAF regarding their moral, ethical and legal obligation to respect freedom of religion and religious neutrality in the execution of their public duties if called upon to deliver a spiritual reflection in...

www.canada.ca

Some excerpts:

.... 4.1 CAF members providing public remarks or an address of any type at a public or semi-public event in their capacity as a CAF member shall uphold the principle of state religious and spiritual neutrality by not using words, actions, or symbols that are specific to a particular (spiritual or faith tradition) on the part of the Government of Canada. This does not include personal religious items of dress, which may be worn as authorized by the CAF Dress Instructions.

4.2 For all events connected to official government business, such as a military ceremony or commemorative event, where CAF members are expected or mandated to attend, and prayers or religious observances have been requested, chaplains (or those noted in the Application section above) must instead offer a spiritual reflection.

4.3 This policy applies to events or military parades, such as, but not limited to:

1. graduation parades
2. change of command ceremonies
3. ship commissioning
4. ribbon-cuttings/dedications for infrastructure projects
5. honours and awards ceremonies
6. festive/seasonal or mess dinners
7. other military institutional commemorations (for example, Remembrance Day, Battle of Britian, Battle of the Atlantic) ...

4.9 Certain religious customs and prayers have been passed down through Canadian military history, providing comfort and purpose throughout the life of a service or unit. For example, regimental and service prayers, regimental graces or patron saints, have been included in commemorative services for several generations. While these prayers and religious customs connect presently serving members with the past, providing a continuity of tradition, religious customs and prayers themselves cannot be imposed on anyone as a condition of service. If commanders deem it important for their members to learn about these religious customs or prayers as a part of their own unit, service or regimental history, members could be required to learn about them in an educational context (such as unit orientation training, regimental officer’s training, etc.), not during a military ceremony. Members would then understand the historical custom of reciting the prayer and they are not being asked to participate in, agree with or believe in the prayer.

4.5 Indigenous practices may be included in military settings for cultural, historical, and educational purposes. This approach reflects Canada’s constitutional recognition of Indigenous rights, the historical suppression of Indigenous traditions by the state, and an ongoing commitment to reconciliation. It does not constitute an endorsement or advancement of a particular system of belief.

4.6 When incorporated into military events or ceremonies, Indigenous practices, some of which contain spiritual elements, must be relevant to the occasion and framed explicitly within an educational and cultural context. Their inclusion supports reconciliation objectives and efforts to strengthen relationships between CAF members and Indigenous peoples.

4.7 The inclusion of Indigenous practices must remain consistent with the duty to maintain religious neutrality and the principles set out in this Canadian Armed Forces Military Personnel Instruction (CAFMPI). CAF members or attendees are not required to participate in any spiritual component of these practices.

Also archived here, and also attached in case neither link works.

And yeah, the meme traffic is running hot, indeed.

 

[GK.Dundas/ Guest]

Let's stir up this hornet's nest again, with the latest as of Wednesday 29 Jul 2026:

Canadian Armed Forces Military Personnel Instructions 03/26 – Spiritual reflections in military settings - Canada.ca

The purpose of this instruction is to provide direction to commanders and all members of the CAF regarding their moral, ethical and legal obligation to respect freedom of religion and religious neutrality in the execution of their public duties if called upon to deliver a spiritual reflection in...

www.canada.ca

Some excerpts:



Also archived here, and also attached in case neither link works.

And yeah, the meme traffic is running hot, indeed.

What this tells me is that there's someone at NDHQ with entirely too much time on their hands.
And all will do is stir up/ rage bait other people online with entirely too much time on their hands.
Or bots working to make money or stir up up trouble .

 

[OldSolduer]

A retired chaplain I’m friends with is not so happy with this decision and neither am I.

 

[dapaterson]

So you're fine with a CAF Imam calling on a parade to pray to Allah?

 

[PuckChaser]

So you're fine with a CAF Imam calling on a parade to pray to Allah?

We already had a direction that changed prayers to spiritual reflection and I haven't heard a CAF Padre call for reflection to any specific religion in almost a decade and even before that most were cognizant that there were multiple faiths/atheists reflected in the ranks and audience.

 

[OldSolduer]

We already had a direction that changed prayers to spiritual reflection and I haven't heard a CAF Padre call for reflection to any specific religion in almost a decade and even before that most were cognizant that there were multiple faiths/atheists reflected in the ranks and audience.

Usually it was something like this:

Pray to the deity of your faith .

With me somedays it’s Thor, or Odin and on mischievous days Loki.
I’m Mostly Jedi though. Just not like Star Wars Jedi…

 

[Kilted]

I'm assuming that this will not apply to funerals?

 

[McG]

So you're fine with a CAF Imam calling on a parade to pray to Allah?

I have not seen padres doing prayer at any event since they were previously told to stop. But I have seen units task junior officers or master corporals to deliver corps/regimental prayers that the padres no longer do. So apparently it was necessary for additional direction to clarify the original intent.

 

[Czech_pivo]

I'm assuming that this will not apply to funerals?

Can a solider make a request that if they die on tour that a Minister/Priest/Rabbi/Iman be a part of the Ramp Ceremony and that prayers over the casket be said?

 

[PuckChaser]

Can a solider make a request that if they die on tour that a Minister/Priest/Rabbi/Iman be a part of the Ramp Ceremony and that prayers over the casket be said?

I'm assuming that this will not apply to funerals?

If you read through the mil pers instruction, there is a provision for military funerals. It outlines that funerals are for the family and the military portion is there to honour the service of the member (IE not a main event). If the family wants a full Catholic or Muslim or Sihk funeral, the request is honored.

 

[GK.Dundas/ Guest]

Usually it was something like this:

Pray to the deity of your faith .

With me somedays it’s Thor, or Odin and on mischievous days Loki.
I’m Mostly Jedi though. Just not like Star Wars Jedi…

Druid ( Reformed ) myself .

 

[Furniture]

I'm wondering if this applies to "smudging" and other indigenous religious events, or if the CAF must continue to pretend that one religion isn't being held up as superior to others? "Spiritual" is religious... Particularly when you force people to participate.

 

[brihard]

I'm wondering if this applies to "smudging" and other indigenous religious events, or if the CAF must continue to pretend that one religion isn't being held up as superior to others? "Spiritual" is religious... Particularly when you force people to participate.

Is anyone being forced to participate in smudging?

 

[Furniture]

Is anyone being forced to participate in smudging?

Yes...

I have been at multiple events in my career where a smudging or other indigenous prayer ritual was conducted without my consent, and without my ability to opt-out. In exactly the same way people have complained about being forced to endure Christian religious prayer and ceremony.

 

[brihard]

Yes...

I have been at multiple events in my career where a smudging or other indigenous prayer ritual was conducted without my consent, and without my ability to opt-out. In exactly the same way people have complained about being forced to endure Christian religious prayer and ceremony.

Then that shouldn’t happen. Have complaints been made?

 

[Furniture]

Then that shouldn’t happen. Have complaints been made?

No, because it has been made clear that complaints are seen as racist, or at the very least paint you are a racist leaning person...

Take for example the Eagle Staff. It is carried and talked about at CAF events, yet there is no equivalent Christian, Islamic, Zoroastrian, Buddhist, or other animist relic carried. The Eagle Staff is talked about in entirely religious wording, but we pretend it isn't religion because it's inconvenient.

The disconnect can only exist so long, before people call it out in ways less polite than a post on an online forum.