This is not part of a course of instruction in religious theology.  It is what the courts have determined to be reasonable accommodation in respect of freedom of religion.

 Our Constitution entrenches government funding of denominational schools (minority Catholic or Protestant schools as the case may be) in certain provinces as part of the Confederation bargain. This would be unthinkable in the US model. See Adler v Ontario (AG), [1996] 3 S.C.R. 609 where it was decided that Section 93(1) of the Constitution Act, 1867 requires the Ontario government to fund Roman Catholic separate schools fully.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper observed that separation of church and state is an American constitutional concept and does not apply to the Canadian constitution. He went on to say that separation of church and state in Canada has meant, traditionally, that the government will not interfere with religion.

We do however provide reasonable accommodation for religion as with the kirpan case.