Official Opposition NDP Leader Andrea Horwath tabled a motion for debate in the Ontario legislature that explicitly condemns Quebec’s Bill 21 and calls on Doug Ford to take action.

In June 2019, Simon Jolin-Barette, Quebec’s Minister of Immigration, Diversity and Inclusiveness, introduced Bill 21, which forbids public employees, including teachers, police officers, and prosecutors, from wearing religious symbols such as hijabs, kippahs, or turbans. 

June 17, 2019 – Ottawa, Ontario – Canadian Human Rights Commission

Following the passage of Quebec’s Bill 21, entitled “An Act respecting the laicity of the State,” Marie-Claude Landry, Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, issues the following statement:

Premier François Legault has forced the passage of Bill 21 hence disregarding due process.

NCCM & CCLA apply for a stay of the discriminatory recently passed Bill 21

The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government has introduced Bill 21, a law that would supposedly entrench religious neutrality in the province. It would do so by prohibiting providers of government services in positions of authority such as judges, police and teachers from wearing religious symbols, including hijabs (headscarves for female Muslims), turbans (for male Sikhs), kippas (skullcaps for male Jews) and visible Christian crosses.

The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government has introduced what’s known as “an Act respecting the laïcité of the State.” This is the latest attempt by a Québec government to enact secularism legislation. The bill will prohibit civil servants in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols at work.

Some Canadians outside of Québec have reacted with disbelief at the tabling of a bill in the provincial legislature by the Coalition Avenir Québec government to ensure the religious neutrality of the state.

The Québec government is proposing a secularism law to prohibit any new public servants in a position of authority — including teachers, lawyers and police officers — from wearing religious symbols while at work.