Bill 21 (Quebec)

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Civil rights groups seek appeal of judge’s refusal to freeze parts of Quebec’s religious symbols law Civil Liberties Association, National Council of Muslims sought injunction hours after law passed in June

July 23, 2019   

(CBC) Two civil rights groups are seeking an appeal after a Quebec Superior Court justice refused their emergency request to temporarily freeze parts of the province’s new religious symbols law. The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) and the Canadian Civil Liberties […]

Crime

Hate crimes targeting Muslims in Canada down 50 percent in 2018, new data shows But experts say data doesn't paint a full picture, with about two-thirds of hate crimes never reported to police

July 22, 2019   

(Middle East Eye) Hate crimes against Muslims in Canada were down 50 percent in 2018 compared to the year before, a new report by Statistics Canada has said. But a national advocacy group has warned about an uptick in hate incidents targeting religious institutions. […]

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Will federal leaders back the legal challenge to Quebec’s religious symbols ban with an election looming? Jewish group wants Ottawa to intervene after emergency injunction denied

July 20, 2019   

(CBC) The Canadian wing of an international Jewish organization wants Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to send government lawyers to join the legal fight against Quebec’s secularism law. B’nai Brith Canada published an open letter Thursday after a Quebec Superior Court justice denied […]

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Quebec’s religious symbols law passes 1st legal test as judge refuses injunction Civil Liberties Association, National Council of Muslims sought injunction hours after law passed in June

July 18, 2019   

(CBC) A Quebec Superior Court justice has rejected a request to temporarily suspend parts of the province’s new religious symbols law, though he did agree it raises “serious” constitutional questions. Justice Michel Yergeau said Thursday the court must defer, at this stage, […]

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As fight over Quebec’s religious symbols law shifts to courts, legal experts debate best way to challenge it Bill 21 invokes notwithstanding clause, complicating how opponents can challenge law's constitutionality

July 8, 2019   

(CBC) Quebec’s religious symbols law was not yet 12 hours old when it became the subject of a Superior Court motion seeking to have it struck down. On Tuesday, the motion, filed last month by the National Council of Canadian Muslims and […]

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Quebec premier shrugs off charge new religious symbols law makes Muslim women more vulnerable to racism François Legault skeptical of Muslims who say Islamophobia's on the rise in Quebec

June 27, 2019   

(CBC) Quebec Premier François Legault says he doesn’t “really” believe Muslim women in the province who say they’ve been the target of Islamophobic incidents since the government passed a law making it illegal for some civil servants to wear religious symbols. Several Muslim […]

Academics & Education

Quebec federation of school boards says it will obey secularism law this fall The province's largest board has said it would hold consultations before banning religious symbols

June 23, 2019   

(CBC) Quebec’s federation of school boards (FCSQ) says it intends on obeying the province’s new secularism law when classes resume in September. The move comes after the province’s largest school board, the Commission scolaire de Montréal (CSDM), said it would not enforce the […]

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In Quebec’s secularism law, an Ontario police force sees a source of recruits Brampton, Ont., mayor calls Quebec law 'an affront to freedom of religion'

June 22, 2019   

(CBC) An Ontario police force will launch a recruiting campaign targeting Quebec residents affected by the province’s new law on religious symbols. The Peel Regional Police, which covers territory including the cities of Mississauga and Brampton, will conduct a campaign in Quebec after a motion was passed unanimously […]

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To minorities worried about religious symbols law, Quebec premier says he ‘could have gone further’ New law responds to desires of long-spurned majority, François Legault says in interview

June 18, 2019   

(CBC) Quebec Premier François Legault had a blunt message Tuesday for minorities worried about his government’s new religious symbols law: the legislation, he said, “could have gone further.” The law, which was passed late Sunday, bars civil servants in positions of authority — including public school teachers, […]

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Fears of ‘secularism police’ raised by CAQ’s last-minute changes to religious symbols bill 'It was never discussed, it's unacceptable,' Liberal MNA says of amendments

June 17, 2019   

(CBC) Quebec’s opposition is warning last-minute changes to the Coalition Avenir Québec’s religious symbols law open the door to the establishment of “secularism police.” In the final hours before Bill 21 was passed late Sunday, the CAQ introduced several amendments, including provisions to ensure the […]

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Quebec government adopts controversial religious symbols bill Religious symbols law, introduced as Bill 21, passed with a vote of 73-35

June 16, 2019   

(CBC) Quebec’s majority government has pushed through a controversial piece of legislation that will bar public-school teachers, government lawyers, judges and police officers from wearing religious symbols while at work. The bill, introduced by the Coalition Avenir Québec government, passed after a marathon weekend of deliberations […]

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‘We aren’t an elective monarchy’: Opposition MNAs decry Legault’s push to pass immigration, secularism bills MNAs sitting after CAQ government said it would invoke closure to ensure Bills 9 and 21 pass before summer

June 15, 2019 and   

(CBC) Opposition parties are accusing Quebec’s Legault government of trying to run the National Assembly like a business, as they attempt to extend the debate of its two flagship Bills 9 and 21. Members of the National Assembly are sitting this weekend […]

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François Legault defends decision to quash debate over immigration, religious symbols bills Despite widespread criticism, Quebec premier says it's time to 'turn the page'

June 14, 2019   

(CBC) Quebec Premier François Legault says there’s a risk of upsetting “social cohesion” in the province if the debate over religious symbols is allowed to linger any longer. Legault will invoke closure to pass his government’s controversial secularism and immigration bills, putting an end […]

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Quebec government to sit through weekend to ram through immigration, religious symbols bills Premier Legault will invoke closure to ensure its flagship legislation, Bills 9 and 21, pass before summer

June 13, 2019   

(CBC) The Coalition Avenir Québec government will invoke closure this weekend to force passage of two controversial pieces of legislation — one that reforms the province’s immigration system and another that bars civil servants in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols. The centre-right party […]

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Quebec government aims to define religious symbols in amendment to secularism bill Move is seen as a concession to ensure bill will pass on Friday

June 11, 2019   

(CBC) The Quebec government is offering a first concession to critics of its proposed law restricting religious symbols worn by some civil servants. Tuesday afternoon, Immigration Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette tabled the amendment which would define what a religious symbol is. The amendment seeks to define a religious symbol […]

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Why doesn’t the Quebec government seem bothered by mounting tension over its religious symbols bill? The CAQ insists everything is fine as Quebec debates Bill 21, but evidence suggests otherwise

May 27, 2019   

(CBC) Over the weekend, police in Quebec City opened an investigation into a possible hate crime outside a suburban mosque, the same mosque where, in 2017, a white nationalist killed six people. The incident, which allegedly involved a man shouting racist comments […]

Academics & Education

Bill 21 won’t apply to us, Quebec’s English school boards say QESBA cites Supreme Court ruling in arguing English boards exempt from proposed law

May 14, 2019   

(CBC) An organization representing all nine of Quebec’s English school boards says the province’s proposed ban on religious symbols can’t be imposed on them, potentially opening a new front in the legal resistance to the legislation. Like some of their French counterparts, English schools boards […]

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CAQ government ignoring Montreal’s diversity with secularism bill, Plante tells lawmakers Montreal mayor says Quebec hasn't thought enough about how Bill 21 will impact immigrant women

May 14, 2019   

(CBC) The mayor of Quebec’s biggest city accused the provincial government on Tuesday of rushing ahead with a controversial proposal to restrict religious symbols without considering the harm it will cause Montreal’s diverse population. At a legislative hearing in Quebec City, Valérie Plante said the […]

Academics & Education

At Quebec secularism bill hearings, government challenged to say why trampling religious rights is necessary Quebec's Legislature opens 2 weeks of hearings into controversial bill

May 7, 2019   

(CBC) After spending all day hearing from defenders of his secularism bill, Quebec Immigration Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette was confronted Tuesday evening with a challenge from a wispy-haired, 87-year-old philosopher. “We are still waiting for an explanation about why this is necessary,” Charles Taylor told Jolin-Barrette at legislative hearing […]

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Hearings on Quebec’s secularism bill have little time for religious groups, critics say Only 2 faith groups invited to legislative hearings in Quebec City

May 7, 2019 and   

(CBC) Legislative hearings into Quebec’s controversial secularism bill began Tuesday amid concerns that religious groups have largely been excluded from the process. Premier François Legault remains insistent that Bill 21, which was tabled in late March, will be passed before the National […]

Academics & Education

Quebec’s largest school board condemns religious symbols ban CSDM hopes government will be open to compromise during consultations, which start next week

April 26, 2019   

(CBC) Quebec’s largest school board has come out against the province’s plan to ban teachers from wearing religious symbols in the classroom, saying it runs contrary to the school board’s mission and would be difficult to enforce. The Commission scolaire de Montréal (CSDM) outlined […]

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Montreal mayor target of physical threats after coming out against secularism bill Valérie Plante says latest wave of threats was prompted by 'fake news' circulating online

April 17, 2019   

(CBC) Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante has been the target of an escalating series of violent threats, apparently sparked by her staunch opposition to the provincial government’s secularism bill. Plante spoke publicly last month about receiving hateful comments after she first criticized Bill […]

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‘It is our duty to speak up’: Montreal city council passes unanimous declaration against Bill 21 'Bill 21 does not reflect the daily reality of Montreal society which is rich and unique,' declaration says

April 15, 2019   

(CBC) Montreal city councillors have unanimously adopted a declaration against the Quebec government’s secularism bill, put forward by the mayor and leader of the opposition. The bipartisan declaration, signed by Mayor Valérie Plante and Ensemble Montréal interim leader Lionel Perez, presents a […]