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QUEBEC The Quebec government will appeal a Superior Court ruling which exempts the province’s English school boards and MNAs from its state secularism law.
Quebec Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette made the announcement Tuesday within a few hours of the ruling.
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“There are not two Quebecs, there is only one,” Jolin-Barrette said, adding Quebec cannot accept that laws adopted by the legislature apply to some citizens and not others.
Jolin-Barrette said Judge Marc-André Blanchard also erred in invoking Section 23 of the 1982 constitution, which protects linguistic rights, to cover the issue of religious symbols.
Quick Quotes: Reaction to Quebec court ruling on Bill 21, religious symbols law
Quebec Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette speaks to reporters at the legislature in Quebec City, Tuesday, April 20, 2021. Jolin-Barrette confirmed his government will appeal a court decision on Bill 21. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot April 20, 2021 - 1:36 PM
Quebec Superior Court Justice Marc-Andre Blanchard on Tuesday upheld the bulk of the province s secularism law, known as Bill 21, which bans many public sector workers from wearing religious symbols on the job. Blanchard, however, struck down clauses pertaining to English-language school boards and a ban on members of the provincial legislature wearing face coverings. Quebec has announced it will appeal the ruling.
Canada court voids part of disputed Quebec law on religious symbols yahoo.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from yahoo.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Winnipeg Free Press By: Morgan Lowrie, The Canadian Press Posted:
Last Modified: 3:41 PM CDT Tuesday, Apr. 20, 2021 Save to Read Later
MONTREAL - Quebec’s secularism law is largely legal, a Superior Court judge ruled Tuesday, even as he acknowledged it violates the rights of Muslim women and has cruel and dehumanizing consequences for those who wear religious symbols.
A Quebec Superior Court justice is set to issue a ruling Tuesday on the constitutionality of the province s secularism law, known as Bill 21. People hold up signs during a demonstration against Bill 21 in Montreal, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
MONTREAL - Quebec’s secularism law is largely legal, a Superior Court judge ruled Tuesday, even as he acknowledged it violates the rights of Muslim women and has cruel and dehumanizing consequences for those who wear religious symbol
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Tuesday’s ruling in Superior Court upholding most of the provisions of Bill 21 is a deep disappointment, even if its exemption for English school boards is to be heartily welcomed.
Bill 21, titled An act respecting the laicity of the state, rammed through the National Assembly in June 2019 by the Coalition Avenir Québec majority government, remains an unnecessary, discriminatory and divisive law. A central provision bars several categories of public sector employees including police officers, teachers and prison guards from wearing “religious symbols” at work. While the law claims to be religiously neutral, it is anything but, effectively barring from such jobs those whose religious beliefs lead them to wear hijabs, kippahs or turbans. (Wearing a crucifix or cross necklace would also be barred, but those can easily be tucked inside a shirt.)