Edmonton city councillors denounce Quebec’s Bill 21 Mayor Don Iveson says legislation forbidding religious symbols 'an offence to civil rights'

October 17, 2019   

(CBC) Edmonton city councillors are denouncing legislation in Quebec that restricts civil servants from wearing religious symbols as discriminatory and racist.

“Bill 21 is an offence to civil rights,” Mayor Don Iveson said during an executive committee meeting on Thursday. “It is troubling, deeply troubling to all freedom-loving people.”

Quebec’s controversial law forbids civil sector employees in authority positions from wearing religious symbols at public institutions.

Iveson called it a “blatant disregard in the values of multiculturalism.”

The comments came after councillors heard from a dozen Edmonton residents who spoke at Thursday’s meeting.

Read more.

Related Articles

Clothing

Montreal councillors reject motion urging police to allow religious symbols Coun. Marvin Rotrand accused of adding 'fuel to the fire' amid debate over secularism legislation

May 14, 2019   

(CBC) City councillors have voted down a motion that would have urged Montreal police to allow officers to wear religious symbols on the job. Councillors voted Tuesday 32-19 against the motion, debated on the same day Mayor Valérie Plante testified at Quebec’s Bill […]

Law Enforcement

Canadian arrested in Turkey this summer charged with terror offences Ikar Mao, 22, of Guelph, Ont., was detained near the Syrian border but returned to Canada in October

December 6, 2019 and   

(CBC) A Canadian man detained in Turkey this past summer and accused of having ISIS propaganda on his phone was charged by RCMP Friday with terror-related offences. Ikar Mao, 22, of Guelph, Ont., faces one count of participation in activity of a terrorist […]

Academics & Education

Pamphlets inform Muslim women of their rights in wake of Quebec’s secularism law Documents include information on how to face and report harassment and how to deal with discrimination

November 28, 2019   

(CBC) An advocacy group is launching a campaign to inform Muslim women of their rights as it tries to deal with increasing reports of harassment and discrimination since Quebec’s secularism law was introduced. Justice Femme, the group behind the campaign, will begin distributing […]