For immediate release
June 12, 2008

PC Party wins fight to keep Lord’s Prayer

QUEEN’S PARK – Today in the Ontario Legislature a motion was passed to keep the tradition of the Lord’s Prayer as requested by the Progressive Conservative Party and thousands of people across Ontario.

“I want to thank all the people who wrote letters, sent e-mails and signed petitions to support the tradition of the Lord’s Prayer,” said Ernie Hardeman, MPP for Oxford. “I’m glad that the McGuinty government finally listened to them and realized that they made an error trying to remove the prayer.”

In February Dalton McGuinty issued a letter calling for the province to ‘move beyond’ the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer in the Legislature. Premier McGuinty did not attend the vote on the Lord’s Payer motion today.

The motion passed by the Ontario Legislature is as follows:

That the Speaker commence each meeting day of the Assembly by reciting the Lord’s Prayer, followed by another prayer, or the presentation of a verse or passage, or call for a moment of silent reflection, or any such other similar activity which, in the opinion of the Speaker, will serve to reflect over time the general demographic composition of this Chamber and the province of Ontario.

Ernie Hardeman and the Progressive Conservative Party strongly supported continuing the tradition of saying the Lord’s Prayer each day, but said that they were open to adding additional prayers if desired.

“It is important that we respect and maintain the traditions and history of the Ontario Legislature. Part of that tradition is keeping the Lord’s Prayer,” said Hardeman.  “The focus should be on building upon tradition rather than abandoning it.”

 

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For more information, contact:

Ernie Hardeman, MPP Oxford

(416) 325-1239