In brief
The Quebec government has enacted new measures to strengthen secularism in the province, including restrictions on public prayer and a ban on religious symbols for public sector workers. These changes are part of Bill 9, building upon a previous law that has sparked national debate. Critics argue the measures undermine the rights of religious minorities and exacerbate social divide, while proponents assert they safeguard collective rights and uphold the state's secular nature.
The Canadian province of Quebec plans to impose restrictions on public prayer and limit the exclusive offering of religion-based menus, like kosher and halal meals, in public institutions.The latest efforts to strengthen state secularism, dubbed secularism 2.0, are part of a new bill introduced by the governing Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) on Thursday, expanding on a 2019 religious symbols law that has fuelled fierce debate throughout the country.The original law prevents judges, police officers, teachers and public servants from wearing symbols such as the kippah, turban or hijab while at work.Canada's Supreme Court will hear a legal challenge of that law early next year.Jean-François Roberge, the minister responsible for secularism, told a news conference in French on Thursday that the bill was part of an approach that respected individual as well as collective rights.The measures proposed in Bill 9 would:
- extend the ban on wearing religious symbols to staff in subsidised daycares
- bar collective religious practices like prayer in public spaces, such as parks, without prior authorisation from municipalities
- prevent students and staff from wearing face coverings in daycare all the way through to post-secondary education
Roberge said the limits on public prayer were in reaction to recent protests in the province, where there has been debate over groups praying at pro-Palestinian demonstrations.It's shocking to see people blocking traffic, taking possession of the public space without a permit, without warning, and then turning our streets, our parks, our public squares into places of worship, he said.The decision to strengthen the law has already faced criticism from the opposition Parti Québecois, which earlier this week accused the CAQ of creating division in an attempt to bolster support ahead of next year's provincial election.The National Council of Canadian Muslims also criticised the bill, accusing the CAQ of doubling down on identity politics and division in a desperate attempt to regain the public's trust.Since Bill 21 was passed six years ago, the issue of secularism has continued to simmer in Quebec.Last year, 11 teachers - primarily of North African descent - at a Montreal elementary school were suspended after a government report said they had created a toxic environment for students and staff, and largely avoided certain subjects like science and sex education.Quebec Premier Francois Legault said the teachers had tried to introduce Islamist beliefs and vowed to strengthen secularism measures in schools.In August, a government-mandated committee released a report with recommendations including a ban on religious symbols for daycare workers and the phasing out of public funding for private religious schools.Last month, the Legault government passed a law extending secularism rules to staff who interact with students in public primary and high schools, and barring students from wearing face coverings.In summary, Bill 21 prohibits public officials from wearing religious symbols and requires public services to be provided with faces uncovered. The Quebec government has invoked the notwithstanding clause to protect the law from being overturned on constitutional grounds.
