The Court Challenges Program was at the heart of the latest scuffle between Ottawa and Québec. The program provides financial support to Canadians seeking to assert their constitutional language and human rights before the courts.

The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association announced on December 18 that they will be seeking leave to go to the Supreme Court of Canada after the Quebec Court of Appeal's decision to not grant a stay of Bill 21.

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. 

[On November 7, 2019] The Ontario Legislature passed a motion from Michael Coteau, Liberal MPP for Don Valley East, affirming the province’s support of religious diversity in response to Quebec’s Bill 21.

The Québec Superior Court recently agreed to revisit a challenge to Bill 21, Loi sur la laïcité de l’État.

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.