Mr. Chairman, the main difference between the two is the reference to “religious official”. We agree on removing “clergyman or minister”.
As for putting in the word “officiant”, I can tell you that I've had some experience with that term. I know that it came from the public service, that particular term, because I remember that when I was defence minister they wanted the term to refer to those who provided religious guidance and support to members of our armed forces. They wanted to call them “officiants”.
I said that the problem with it is that if you stopped a hundred people on the street, I'd be surprised if you could find anybody who knows what an officiant is, but when you talk about a “religious official”, most Canadians can understand. I think it's incumbent upon us to do what we can to make the Criminal Code as understandable as possible. The main difference there is the name.
I did not buy into the name when I was defence minister. I said that you could call them members, religious officials, clergy, or anything, as long as it's all-inclusive for everyone. That's all I said, but I said that the term “officiant” was not a term. I know where it came from, the idea of this and how it arrived here, but again, I think if you look carefully at this you will agree with me that people understand you if you're talking about a “religious official” as opposed to an “officiant”.
That being said, on my amendment, if you accept that, the only other change between mine and the Liberal one is to put in “a religious or spiritual service”. I have no problem with adding that to amendment CPC-2.