IQALUIT
Across Nunavut, municipal council meetings usually start with the same ritual: a Christian prayer.

Iqaluit councillor Kenny Bell explains the rationale for calling for a change from having a prayer to open council meetings in favour of a moment of silence. after Jeannie Arreak-Kullualik made an emotional plea to retain it. - Casey Lessard/NNSL photo

Yet, despite a recent Supreme Court decision that declared the practice against the Constitution, Iqaluit city council and many hamlet councils are choosing to ignore that decision until they are forced to change.

Outside of Iqaluit, it doesn't appear to be on the radar of many hamlets.

"The hamlet of Qikiqtarjuaq at the moment has never discussed the Supreme Court decision regarding prayer at council meetings," said finance director Arthur Nicomedes.

"We do have a prayer before meetings," said Clyde River Mayor Jerry Natanine. "This is a non-issue at the moment here."

Arctic Bay opens its council meetings with a prayer. So does Pangnirtung.

"The council will continue to do a prayer at its meeting until we either have a complaint or objection to it," said Pangnirtung senior administrative officer Shawn Trepanier.

In Kimmirut, it's business as usual.

"There are prayers at each council meeting," said economic development officer Petanie Pitsiulak. "Council does not plan to debate whether it should be addressed or not."

But at Iqaluit's city council meeting May 12, the debate was hot. Iqaluit city councillor Kenny Bell raised the issue as a discussion item, and put forward a motion to change the opening prayer to a moment of silence, allowing all to choose the way they want to spend that moment, whether in prayer or thought. Deputy mayor Romeyn Stevenson supported the motion as a matter of law, seeing the facts of the Supreme Court decision.

Other councillors, though, were vehemently opposed to the idea. Alternate deputy mayor Simon Nattaq, an elder who usually says the opening prayer, came to the meeting threatening that if the opening prayer goes, so does he.

"Why are we doing this so sneakily?" asked Nattaq, through translation. "Why are we doing this when election year is in October?"

"What's the Supreme Court of Canada do to us if we opt to keep the prayer in our agenda?" asked councillor Joanasie Akumalik. "Are they going to fine us? Are they going to put the councillors at BCC? I don't think they're ready to deal with a small city like us."

Councillor Stephen Mansell said the matter should have been discussed long before the Supreme Court decision. Council missed several chances to hold meetings about procedures before it became a problem.

"We should have done our policy research and legal research before having to debate this in the chamber," Mansell said. "I feel strongly that the Supreme Court decision is not as black and white as everyone makes it out to be. They left a cultural carve out available. This is part of the cultural fabric of Nunavut."

That's the argument resident Jeannie Arreak-Kullualik made, crying as she pleaded with council to continue the prayer.

"Inuit prayers are documented in historical documents," Arreak-Kullualik said. "Inuit are largely silent on politics, including me, because we put a lot of trust to our respected leaders, but on this topic is where I draw the line because it challenges every part of my being, my upbringing.

"There are supreme forces humans have no control over. The practice adapted by inserting a word at the beginning and end is from outside, and come from missionaries, but the philosophy behind it, Inuit are very attached to. That is why Inuit feel the prayer is our own."

Councillor Noah Papatsie supported her argument.

"I've used it all my life," Papatsie said. "It's not against different religions. We're all praying for the same thing - prayer. It's a prayer we pray for."

Bell said he was surprised that Papatsie would oppose dropping the ban because he has fought so hard to increase inclusivity in the city, noting the prayer is exclusive to Christians.

"This isn't about prayer and the moment of silence will give everyone the right to do that prayer to themselves," Bell said. "Reflect on something you care about. This isn't about praying to God. This is about protecting peoples' rights and I believe all of our people need to feel included regardless of religion."

Mayor Mary Wilman said she couldn't understand why Bell said the Christian prayer was not inclusive.

"Councillor Bell, you confuse me," Wilman said. "Honestly, if it's based on inclusiveness, everything I do that is different, lighting the qulliq, whatever, that is of my culture, that's not inclusive. When you base your decision on it's not inclusive, I don't get it. It is an issue here because you make it an issue. The Government of Nunavut decided to ignore the ruling."

Her deputy, Stevenson, came to the matter from a strictly legal view.

"On the surface, the decision is simple," Stevenson said. "The Supreme Court declares that council prayers are inappropriate. The court says that as a public government, we must remain neutral without favouring one religion over another. Of course, it's not that simple. In this city, we have Christians of all colours, Muslims, Buddhists, spiritualists, atheists. We represent them all. How can you say to one of those groups that we're going to make decisions that are fair and without prejudice, but just wait outside, please, while we pray to our God first. We can't do it."

The Bell motion failed, leading him to follow Akumalik's advice to consult with the city's lawyers. A motion to do so when the lawyer is in town June 18 passed.

"I have no doubt the prayer will be removed by our legal counsel," Stevenson said. "I don't think that's of any question."

As Iqaluit ponders its next step, Sanikiluaq is one of the only communities taking a firm stance, it seems.

"The council will continue to have opening prayers," said acting senior administrative officer Johnny Manning. "Unanimously decided."

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