Religion is entrenched in the state

Tom Brodbeck is right.

There is no separation of church and state in Canada. It's a myth.

There is no separation of church and state in reality in the USA either. It's a myth.

When religious groups taking sides by campaigning, organizing and demanding that a government pass a law that codifies something of or in their dogma, or doctrine, they have opened the door to allowing the church into the government and the government into the church.

Currently we have tax collectors in certain jurisdictions collecting school taxes to be turned over to the school boards responsible for Catholic school boards. That is the state doing the bidding of the church, or actually to be truthful, something the church cannot do itself.

We have the Catholic school system enshrined in our constitutions for some provinces.

We have the government paying the damages for sexual and physical abuse inflicted in the residential school system on our Native's.

We have the religious leaders of our churches issuing marriage licenses, which is a government task.

Churches do not pay property taxes, their ministers, priests and such get a special tax break, and the buildings they work in can offer sanctuary to people who may be persecuted by the government through its police forces.

So when a level judge or bureaucrat decides that we can not have a Christmas tree, a menorah or the lights of Diwali in the lobby of any government building or courthouse, I just wonder if maybe their workload is a little too light.

Frankly I think in today's Canada, having a Christmas tree, a menorah or the lights of Diwali in the lobby of any government building or courthouse, shows we have matured as a country and realize Canada is not some monolithic Catholic or Christian country.

We were founded by the Natives, and populated by immigrants from all over the world, with all sorts of religions and beliefs, and should not be afraid to celebrate one or all of them, anyway those people want or need to, in a public or private place.

This is Canada.

Thank youNorm Greenfield