A Muslim, Heer recalls reciting the Lord’s Prayer every morning at school.

Public boards have since moved away from that practice, in part because of the region’s diversity, and Heer believes local government should adopt an opening prayer that is a little more “general” and has broader appeal. Heer was one of four Canadian delegates to the U.S. State Department last summer for an International Visitors Leadership Program organized to discuss interfaith and human rights issues.

“I think going towards a more general, inclusive prayer is a really good idea considering the diversity of the city,” she said.

She suggested a more generic prayer would better reflect the city’s multicultural and multi-faith communities.

In contrast, Father Roman Galadza of Brampton's St. Elias Ukrainian Church, counters the Lord’s Prayer, or Our Father, is as an inclusive prayer as you can get.

“What would you replace it with?” he asked. “Line by line, is there anything there that is not applicable to people of all faiths no matter where they come from?”

Galadza spoke about the country’s foundation in faith and warned against moving away from traditions that have made Canada open and tolerant, including abandoning prayer.

“Without a basis in faith we condemn ourselves to destruction,” he said.

A new study by Peel Newcomer Strategy Group finds that 87 per cent of Peel residents identify with a religious affiliation, the highest percentage in the GTA.

A former provincial Liberal cabinet minister, Jeffrey’s support, politically, comes from a wide section of Brampton’s cultural and religious makeup.

The mayor-elect told The Guardian that she is looking forward to discussing with the new council ways to make local government more inclusive.

But while politicians and members of the local faith community debate what prayer is appropriate at the local council level, others would strongly put forth that there should be no prayer at all.

Veronica Abbass, a member of Secular Ontario, said she finds it “ridiculous that some municipalities all over this country stand up and pray.”

“There is no place for God in a municipal council,” said Abbass, who is currently in a legal tussle with the City of Peterborough over the reciting of the Lord’s Prayer at council meetings. “There is no place for God in any public building.”

Abbass contends government should remain strictly secular.

A big part of her work at Secular Ontario is campaigning to protect the secular and civil nature of Ontario society. She defends the position that the act is unconstitutional and violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Her court case against the City of Peterborough is currently on hold until Canada's highest court makes a ruling in a similar case out of Saguenay, Quebec.

In Brampton’s case, Abbass said even the mayor-elect’s proposal for a non-denominational prayer is against the rules.

“Every mayor in Ontario that is saying the Lord’s Prayer in city council meetings is breaking the law,” Abbass said. “Any city council that allows it to be said or says it is breaking the law.”