Religion and Schools in Canada

The constitutional and statutory frameworks within which education operates in Canada are significantly different from those in other countries. This paper describes some of the key features of Canadian education, particularly those relating to Catholic schools. It examines the relationship between the religious community and the educational structures in Canada over the years, with a particular emphasis on recent events, and identifies some of the key historical factors in that development. A number of developments which appear to indicate a move to a more secular form of education, and which are creating considerable tensions for Catholic educators, are also discussed