Quebec forced to defend religious symbols law in court for first time Civil rights groups argue ban will cause harm as they ask judge to freeze parts of Bill 21

July 9, 2019   

(CBC) The Quebec government can’t “with a straight face” claim its new religious symbols law won’t have any harmful effects, a lawyer for two civil rights groups told a Superior Court justice Tuesday.

Catherine McKenzie made the comment as she asked the court to freeze the most controversial sections of the law. Tuesday’s hearing in Montreal is the first legal test of Bill 21 since it became law last month in the face of widespread opposition.

The legislation bars authority figures, including public school teachers, from wearing religious symbols at work.

A motion filed by the National Council of Canadian Muslims and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association asks the court to issue an injunction pending a more complete review of the law’s constitutionality.

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