Canadian Secular Alliance: Declaration of Secularization
The fundamental position of the Canadian Secular Alliance (CSA) is that only a secular government can enshrine and defend the rights and privileges of all Canadians equally. A secular government is understood to operate according to the principles of evidence-based decision-making, the rule of law, individual liberty, equal justice, economi
c sustainability, universal charity and effective security. These universal secular values have emerged over the course of our cumulative history as a social species, and are not the unique product of any particular religious belief system. The CSA affirms that all citizens in a secular society are free to adopt whatever faith they choose as a matter of personal liberty. It also holds that individual religious freedom is best protected when the state maintains strict neutrality in the religious sphere. Government must not privilege any one religious belief system over others, privilege theism over atheism, or use religious doctrine as the basis for public policy. The CSA therefore supports a fundamental separation of church and state in Canada, including:
• A free marketplace of ideas by ending tax exemptions and other state-awarded financial privileges for organizations whose only purpose is to advance religious belief;
• A single and publicly funded secular school system by ending public financing for faith-based schools;
• Freedom of expression by ending legal penalties for either the expression or criticism of religious opinions;
• Equality for all under the law by ending exemptions from laws and policies now available only to members of certain religious groups;
• Secularization of government proceedings by removing references to any deity in the national anthem and Charter of Rights, and by ending the recitation of prayers in legislatures and assemblies. The Canadian Secular Alliance is a not-for-profit organization advancing government neutrality in matters of religion. The CSA seeks to represent all Canadians, religious and non-religious alike, who believe that the Canadian government should adopt public policies consistent with a secular state.
