O Canada, our home and . . . illegal anthem?

Richmond Hill council this week rejected a bid to start its meetings with Canada’s anthem, partly over fears that doing so could be unconstitutional because of the lyric “God keep our land glorious and free!”

Grappling with how to replace its opening prayer, in light of a recent Supreme Court of Canada ruling, town council rejected by 5-4 Ward 1 Councillor Greg Beros’s proposal to instead use the anthem.

“I thought it was going to be a walk in the park,” said Ward 2 Councillor Tom Muench of his colleague’s suggestion. “You’ve got to be kidding me that you can’t play the national anthem. If you can’t agree to that, what can you agree to?”

After heated debate, town council finally agreed 8-1, with Beros as the lone holdout, to launch meetings with a three-sentence inspirational declaration penned by Regional Councillor Brenda Hogg.

“Tonight council comes together as representatives of our town to conduct the town’s business,” it starts, before adding that council is glad to be joined by engaged citizens and will strive to listen to them, respond to staff and make “fair and responsible decisions in the best interests of our community.”

Richmond Hill Mayor Dave Barrow said council got advice from town legal staff, during an in-camera session, that venturing beyond the statement to anything religious could risk a challenge. Some councillors feared that included “God keep our land!,” he said.

“It wasn’t a debate about the anthem, it was a debate about how we start our meetings,” said the mayor, who was among those who voted against using O Canada and in favour of the statement.

“Councillors just chose the statement as the way we want to start. We want to acknowledge our duty to our citizens.”

Toronto city council opens its meetings with O Canada.

The Supreme Court ruled that prayers before the town of Saguenay’s meetings violate the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms guarantee of freedom from the imposition of religion.

Constitutional experts say municipalities in other provinces that feature prayer could face lawsuits under similar provisions in Canada’s charter.

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Oshawa Mayor John Henry told the Star last month he plans to continue opening meetings with the Lord’s Prayer, adding: “I’m proud to be Canadian.”

He later changed his mind after receiving legal advice.

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