The mayor of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) is the latest Nova Scotia politician to come out against the Supreme Court of Canada's ruling on prayers before council.

Cecil Clarke says he feels betrayed by the decision.

On Wednesday, the court ruled that prayer before municipal council meetings is unconstitutional. The Supreme Court said it does not fit with modern society and the state must remain neutral on religion and beliefs.

CBRM meetings have started with a prayer since 1998. The prayer was prepared by the Multicultural Association of Nova Scotia and it is the same prayer used before council meetings in Halifax.

Clarke says the prayer has been a longstanding tradition for council and the ruling offends him as a Christian.

He says he and his colleagues will pray in private before council meetings if they have to.

"I will do my utmost to maintain that tradition, in whatever form," Clarke said Wednesday.

"If it means taking other legislative mechanisms to do that, then I will bring those forward for my colleagues."

Clarke is bringing the matter before council at Tuesday's meeting.

The municipal legal staff in Halifax are also looking at the decision to see if they need to change Halifax's pre-council prayer.