What role should religion play in the federal election?

On Monday, Oct. 21, 2019, Canadians from coast to coast to coast will go the polls to cast votes for their local Member of Parliament, and in the process will elect the next federal government.

The first event in the 2019-2020 Leslie and Irene Dubé Chair in Catholic Studies series offered the Saskatoon public the chance to consider the role of faith in politics.

The event, Religion and the 2019 Canadian Federal Election: A Multifaith Dialogue, was held at St. Thomas More College, and was hosted by the Department of Political Studies and moderator Dr. David McGrane.

The Dubé chair supports scholarship and research related to Catholic teaching and tradition, fosters Catholic education and promotes ecumenical dialogue and awareness of other faith traditions.

“Tonight’s event is a perfect illustration of the last of those purposes, and we are delighted to be able to host this dialogue,” said Dr. Carl Still, President of STM. “Tonight, we have an extraordinary opportunity to learn how at least four different religious traditions think about faith and politics, and what better time to have that dialogue than now, after the writ has dropped and we are surrounded by politics on every side?”

On the panel were representatives of the Christian, Muslim, Indigenous and Sikh religious traditions.

Ms. Amara Zuhaib is a PhD candidate in chemistry at USask. Dr. Sandra Beardsall is a United Church of Canada Minister and a member of the faculty of St. Andrew’s College. Dr. Tajinder Grewal is a provincial candidate for the NDP in Saskatoon Silver Springs and is an agricultural scientist. Mr. Harry Lafond is a member of the Muskeg Lake First Nation, where he has served as both a chief and a counsellor, and is currently serving as STM’s Scholar in Indigenous Education.

Questions the panelists considered included:

• What does your faith tradition see is good about politics, and what is bad about politics?
• What does your spiritual tradition call you to do in the political realm?
• What do you think that your faith would like to see changed in politics in Canada?
• How will members of your faith community – either the members or leaders -- engage in this election?
• How are political parties interacting with your communities? Do you see them actively soliciting your community’s support?
• Are there specific issues in this campaign that are important to your community?

The panel also took questions from the audience, and then adjourned for refreshments and some more lively conversation about religion and politics.

The entire event is available to hear on SoundCloud:

A Multifaith Dialogue (Sept. 18, 2019)