Canadian Law and Religion

Canada's historic roots have a distinctly religious dimension.  In this section of our exhibit, we examine parts of this history to understand how religous freedom became a hallmark of Canadian society.  This history also provides insight into the special protections enjoyed by Protestant and Roman Catholic churches in Canada.

At times,the historic place of and preferences given to Protestantism and Roman Catholicism have been oppressive to other faiths.  To explore the treatment of Jehovah's Witnesses in Canada, please see our section on Canadian minorities.  To explore how Canada is struggling to make room for Sikhs and for Muslims, please see our section on "What Does a Canadian Look Like?"

Notwithstanding the deep historic roots of religious faith in Canada, Canadian society is becoming increasingly secular.  This section also explores issues that have arisen as Canada experiences major shifts in how it understands its religious identity and identities.