MISSISSAUGA – Mississauga councillors will begin council meetings with a brief moment of silent reflection after recently deciding to stop reciting the Lord’s Prayer following a Supreme Court of Canada ruling.

Ward 2 Councillor Karen Ras introduced a motion yesterday (May 13), which was approved, to start meetings with a moment of silence. Councillors had been debating whether to do that or, instead, to start with the singing of the national anthem.

“I think this is an appropriate measure to take in light on the Supreme Court decision,” said Ras. “I think it's important for us to take a few moments and recognize the work that we're doing and why we're here, even if it's just for a few brief moments.”

Ras continued that it’s important for them to recognize that, as councillors, they “do have great responsibilities on our shoulders.”

The Supreme Court decision looked into a complaint from Alain Simoneau about Saguenay council starting its meetings with a Catholic prayer. The ruling required that practice to stop.

Councillors previously decided they must respect the Supreme Court decision and voted to no longer begin their meetings with the prayer.

Ward 5 Councillor Carolyn Parrish, who applauded the Supreme Court ruling when it came down, mentioned she would prefer to “start a business meeting in a business-like fashion without moments of silence” but voted in support of Ras’ motion, saying she didn’t want to be “contrary” all the time.

However, she added a couple friendly amendments to the motion, which were accepted. The first was that the moment of silence would be done sitting, instead of standing in a prayer-like fashion, and that if there was a natural disaster happening in the world the mayor would dedicate the moment of silence to it.