25 replies to this topic

[cybercoma]

I'm looking through the Order of Precedence in Canada in a book and I see that religious leaders come before the Supreme Court Justices, Members of the House of Commons, and Senators. So I check Wikipedia (because if it's on Wikipedia it has to be true, right?) and sure enough #20 religious leaders. What does this mean exactly? Why are they ranked ahead of our MPs, Senators and Supreme Court judges? Seems very odd to me.

http://en.wikipedia....r_of_precedence

Edited by cybercoma, 28 November 2011 - 11:01 PM.

[guyser]

Cueing bambino the all knowing...clean up aisle 3

[g_bambino]

Cueing bambino the all knowing...clean up aisle 3

Erm... Can't help on that one, sorry.

[cybercoma]

Erm... Can't help on that one, sorry.

Help us, Obi Wan! You're our only hope!

Seriously though, I can't seem to find any other information on this. It seems odd to have religious leaders on the list, yet no indication of exactly what is meant by that.

Edited by cybercoma, 29 November 2011 - 01:42 PM.

[cybercoma]

It's on Parliament's website too

http://www.pch.gc.ca...nce-eng.cfm#fn8

#14: Representatives of Faith Communities

The footnote says, "The religious dignitaries will be senior Canadian representatives of faith communities having a significant presence in a relevant jurisdiction. The relative precedence of the representatives of faith communities is to be governed by the date of their assumption in their present office, their representatives being given the same relative precedence."

What are faith communities? What does significant presence mean? It's all so odd to me.

Especially considering who they're above: supreme court judges, members of parliament, and senators.

[guyser]

Erm... Can't help on that one, sorry.

WTF ?


Tuesday November 28th, 2011. A day in infamy.


(ya know you couldve BS'd us and all would be cool)

[cybercoma]

I'll ask His Excellency David Johnston on Twitter.

[eyeball]

What are faith communities? What does significant presence mean? It's all so odd to me.

Especially considering who they're above: supreme court judges, members of parliament, and senators.

Why? It says right at the top of our constitution, before anything else, that we recognize the supremacy of God.

I know it's often assumed this is just for show but think about the pretext it sets for a top down governing paradigm. This notion that power in our country flows up from the people is actually the quaint one.

We probably shouldn't trouble ourselves with such inconvenient questions. Mr Canada's appeal that Canadians should look to Mr Harper as a child does their father comes to mind.

[g_bambino]

Why? It says right at the top of our constitution, before anything else, that we recognize the supremacy of God.

Where's the "top" of our constitution?

Besides, it's the Queen who tops the order of precedence, not the religious leaders.

[eyeball]

Where's the "top" of our constitution?

Besides, it's the Queen who tops the order of precedence, not the religious leaders.

The Crown on her head - the conduit through which God's authority to govern is channeled.

It all runs downhill from there.

[g_bambino]

The footnote says, "The religious dignitaries will be senior Canadian representatives of faith communities having a significant presence in a relevant jurisdiction. The relative precedence of the representatives of faith communities is to be governed by the date of their assumption in their present office, their representatives being given the same relative precedence."

What are faith communities? What does significant presence mean? It's all so odd to me.

The order of precedence is a protocol rule/guideline to help organise and run events at which numerous dignitaries of varying rank will be present. I imagine the representatives of faith communities are included because official events frequently include representatives of whatever "faith communities" (First Nations, Christian, Jewish, Muslim) have a "significant presence" in the jurisdiction (i.e. the largest segments of the population adhere to those faiths); they perform smudging ceremonies, read a prayer, a dissertation, or something like that. I just don't know why the representatives of faith communities are placed in precedence together between territorial premiers and puisne justices of the Supreme Court.

[g_bambino]

The Crown on her head - the conduit through which God's authority to govern is channeled.

The crown on her head is a piece of metal decorated with some ermine and precious and semi-precious stones. It isn't a part of the constitution, and it isn't (nor has it ever been) a conduit for divine power.

Were you really meaning to refer to the top of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, where the preamble states "Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law"?
[ed.: c/e]

Edited by g_bambino, 29 November 2011 - 03:08 PM.

[eyeball]

I just don't know why the representatives of faith communities are placed in precedence together between territorial premiers and puisne justices of the Supreme Court.

You don't think there was ever any deliberate attempt to symbolically represent the religious order of things in our official institutions?

[eyeball]

The crown on her head is a piece of metal decorated with some ermine and precious and semi-precious stones.

It's also imbued with religious faith. It's a fetish, a powerful one given the importance of religion in our society.

[g_bambino]

You don't think there was ever any deliberate attempt to symbolically represent the religious order of things in our official institutions?

Even if I did, I'd still be left wondering why religious leaders fall specifically between territorial premiers and puisne justices of the Supreme Court.