On July 29, 2026, Canada’s Commander of Military Personnel Command issued the “Canadian Armed Forces Military Personnel Instructions 03/26 – Spiritual reflections in military settings” [“Instructions”], which prescribe the permissible content of “spiritual reflections” made by members of the Canadian Armed Forces and others supplying services for them at public or semi-public military events, including chaplains.[i]
The Instructions require that “spiritual reflections” shall not include “words, actions, or symbols that are specific to a particular [spiritual or faith tradition]” and, specifically, “religious specific language, including references to God,” even when “prayers or religious observances have been requested.”[ii] The Instructions instead define “spiritual reflections” in terms of “lessons learned, beliefs, experiences, and values” and as contemplating themes such as meaning, purpose, transition, resilience, remembrance, gratitude, hope, integrity, and spiritual well-being – all without any specific religious language or reference to God. [iii], [iv] Unique provisions apply for certain events such as military and state funerals, Indigenous practices, and teaching about historical practices and customs, provided certain conditions are met. [v] The Instructions do not extend to certain, specified personal religious matters. [vi]
The Instructions are intended to promote “inclusivity” by “accommodat[ing] participation from all sections of society without excluding any person on the grounds of … religion”.[vii] However, in a letter sent to the Minister of National Defence, Christian Legal Fellowship expressed concern that, in practice, this approach has the effect of excluding religious participation from public life: although no one should be compelled to participate in religious practices, prohibiting, for example, a chaplain from using religious language – or even referencing God – categorically removes religious expression (and only religious expression) from public settings.
Christian Legal Fellowship noted that this is not religious neutrality – which requires the even-handed accommodation of all religious and non-religious perspectives – but state-sponsored irreligion, which, among other things, troublingly authorizes the state to make determinations about which worldviews should be constitutive of spirituality as well as which worldviews should be publicly expressible in Canada. As CLF explained in its submission:
“When the state promotes non-religious belief over religious beliefs, it is improperly “creating a hierarchy of beliefs and casting doubt on the value of those it does not share”. It also undermines the equal worth of the individuals who hold such beliefs. This is why state neutrality requires the inclusion of religious and non-religious diversity, not the categorical exclusion of religion. State neutrality certainly does not compel irreligious uniformity nor does it require personnel to “park their religious convictions at the door”. Instead, it requires that the state adopt an even-handed, accommodative posture towards all of its employees, including those in the military, encouraging a religiously and non-religiously pluralistic public square where all beliefs may be expressed without government endorsement or exclusion.”
Christian Legal Fellowship will remain engaged on this issue, encouraging the state to adopt a posture of religiously-positive pluralism, in military settings and otherwise.
Read CLF’s Submission below:
[i] Canada, Department of National Defence, Canadian Armed Forces Military Personnel Instructions 03/26: Spiritual reflections in military settings (29 July 2026), ss 1, 2, paras 3.1, 3.5, 4.1, 4.2, online: <www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/corporate/policies-standards/canadian-forces-military-personnel-instructions/spiritual-reflections-in-military-settings.html>.
[ii] Ibid, s 2, Note 1, paras 4.1, 4.2.
[iii] Ibid, s 2, Note 1, para 3.5.
[iv] Ibid, paras 4.1-4.3, wherein (semi-)public events are specified to include military ceremonies, commemorative events, and military parades. These (semi-)public events are further specified to include graduation parades, change of command ceremonies, ship commissionings, ribbon-cuttings/dedications for infrastructure projects, honours and awards ceremonies, festive/seasonal or mess dinners, and other military institutional commemorations (e.g., Remembrance Day):
[v] Ibid, para 4.3. These include, among other things, that participation in any religious component of these events is neither required nor otherwise a condition of military service. paras 4.4-4.9. Note that the other provisions for the inclusion of any religious elements include, in the case of funerals, that the practices are other-led (i.e., family-led) and exist specifically to respect and honour others, both the deceased and the deceased’s family, and reflects the institutions commitment to honouring the deceased’s service and sacrifice and, in the case of Indigenous and historical practices, that the practices otherwise respect religious and spiritual neutrality, are relevant to the occasion, are included for historical, cultural, and educational purposes, etc. (for example, Indigenous practices reflect Canada’s constitutional recognition of Indigenous rights, the acknowledgement of historical suppression of Indigenous traditions by the state, an ongoing commitment to reconciliation, and an ongoing commitment to cultivating relationships with Indigenous people; historical practices, like regimental and service prayers, graces, and patron saints, contribute to purpose, comfort, and continuity of transition and connect presently serving members with the past): ibid, paras 4.4-4.9.
[vi] Ibid, paras 4.1, 4.11, 4.12, wherein these excepted matters are specified to include personal dress and private activities such as maintaining one’s own personal religious convictions and commitments and, in the case of chaplains, providing private religious practices specific to religious traditions including prayer, counsel, or contributions to rites, weekly worship meetings, and/or personal milestone ceremonies.
[vii] Ibid, s 2, paras 3.2, 3.3, 4.10.