Jean-François Roberge – Eye on Islamism

Quebec to do secularism checks at 17 schools for potential laicity law violations The ministers responsible for laicity and education have contacted all school service centres reminding them of their Bill 21 obligations.

November 14, 2024 Philip Authier

(Montreal Gazette) Following up on complaints sparked by allegations of incidents at the Bedford elementary school, Quebec’s Education Ministry is sending inspectors into 17 schools to verify them for possible violations of laicity rules. The schools to be inspected are in the […]

A Montreal elementary school is at the centre of a secularism debate. Here’s how we got here Provincial politicians accused of pouncing on religion for political gain

October 22, 2024 Antoni Nerestant

(CBC) In the last few weeks, an elementary school in Montreal’s west-central Côte-des-Neiges neighbourhood has been mired in controversy. This past weekend, 11 teachers were suspended for allegedly creating a toxic environment for students and staff that goes back to 2016. On […]

Ministry suspends licences of 11 teachers at Bedford school as Legault vows to reinforce secularism rules 'We have a group of teachers who tried to introduce Islamic religious concepts into a Quebec public school, putting aside science as a way of helping students,' the premier said.

October 22, 2024 Philip Authier

(Montreal Gazette) With the Legault government saying the evidence shows Quebec’s secularism law was being flouted, 11 teachers at Montreal’s Bedford elementary school have had their teaching licences suspended by the Education Ministry pending the conclusions of an investigation. And the government […]

Call for more Muslim professors: Quebec says anti-Islamophobia adviser must resign Quebec says anti-Islamophobia adviser must resign

September 13, 2024 Sidhartha Banerjee

(Canadian Press) The Quebec government renewed its call for Canada’s special representative on combating Islamophobia to resign Friday, after she sent a letter to college and university heads recommending the hiring of more Muslim, Arab and Palestinian professors. The existence of the […]

Islamic holiday celebration in Montreal park draws ire from secularists Islamic celebration in Montreal park draws ire

June 20, 2024 Joe Bongiorno

(Canadian Press) Earlier this week, members of Montreal’s Muslim community gathered in a park to celebrate the Eid al-Adha holiday, a day when families traditionally wear their finest clothes, share gifts, feast and pray together. Religious celebrations are not uncommon at Parc […]

Quebec groups speak out against bill protecting secularism law

February 9, 2024 Franca Mignacca

(Global News) Nearly five years since the Quebec government implemented its secularism law, known as Bill 21, some of the province’s community groups say the legislation continues to have an impact on minority communities. The law bans certain public workers in positions […]

Amira Elghawaby deserves ‘a chance’ to do her job post-apology: minister

February 2, 2023 Rachel Gilmore

(Global News) Canada’s first-ever special representative on combating Islamophobia, Amira Elghawaby, should be given “a chance” to do her job, Justice Minister David Lametti says. Elghawaby apologized on Wednesday for her past remarks about Quebec, which she made in an op-ed she […]

Anti-Islamophobia representative Amira Elghawaby apologizes for past comments about Quebecers Quebec government, Pierre Poilievre have called for Elghawaby's removal

February 1, 2023 Peter Zimonjic

(CBC) The federal government’s new anti-Islamophobia representative Amira Elghawaby apologized Wednesday for past remarks about the prevalence of anti-Islam sentiment in Quebec. Elghawaby, who was appointed the special representative on combating Islamophobia last week, made the remarks before meeting with Bloc Quebecois […]

Justin Trudeau stands by appointee Amira Elghawaby, says she will continue fight against Islamophobia Quebec government wants federal representative to combat Islamophobia to resign, just days into her new job

January 30, 2023 Rachel Watts

(CBC) The Quebec government is calling on the federal government to withdraw its support of Amira Elghawaby, the new representative to combat Islamophobia, only four days after she was first appointed. This comes a day after her attendance at the sixth commemoration […]

English Montreal School Board files legal challenge to Bill 21 Board argues law infringes on minority language education rights and equality of men and women

October 24, 2019 Colin Harris

(CBC) The English Montreal School Board (EMSB) has filed its legal challenge of Quebec’s controversial law that bars teachers and principals from wearing religious symbols. The legal challenge, filed Thursday by the law firm Power Law on behalf of the EMSB and parent commissioners […]

Teachers turned away over religious symbols ban as school year begins Law creating situations that 'darken the climate' of school, says union president

September 9, 2019 Unlisted Author

(CBC) Quebec’s new secularism law is creating situations that “darken the climate of a school,” says the head of a union representing Montreal teachers. She says the law is compelling school boards to turn away teachers as they’re facing a labour shortage. “I […]

English Montreal School Board to apply religious symbols ban after avoiding vote on the issue EMSB pushed back planned vote shortly before start of meeting

August 28, 2019 Unlisted Author

(CBC) The English Montreal School Board was expected to vote Wednesday night on whether it would enforce the province’s religious symbols ban, but the item was struck from the agenda shortly before the start of the meeting. “I guess the majority of the commissioners […]

No shopping around for teachers who don’t wear religious signs: Quebec

August 28, 2019 Unlisted Author

(Canadian Press) The Quebec government is saying no to some parents who want to pull their children out of classrooms taught by teachers wearing religious symbols. About 50 parents signed an open letter published in Montreal newspaper Le Devoir Wednesday calling on […]

CSDM warns prospective teachers about religious symbols, despite saying it wouldn’t apply Bill 21 Commisioner says government threats of putting CSDM under trusteeship unfair

August 22, 2019 Verity Stevenson

(CBC) Quebec’s largest school board appears to be falling into line when it comes to the province’s new religious symbols law, despite saying earlier this summer it wouldn’t apply the rules until holding further consultations. The Commission scolaire de Montréal (CSDM) began quietly including a notice […]

Muslim activists continue to push against Quebec secularism law

July 26, 2019 Aysha Khan

(Religion News) Quebec’s Superior Court recently rejected civil rights advocates’ legal request to suspend the Canadian province’s controversial new ban on religious symbols for state workers. But activists in Canada and around the world say the fight is not yet over. “We […]

Quebec minister accused of hypocrisy after tweeting photo with Malala Yousafzai

July 5, 2019 Unlisted Author

(Canadian Press) Quebec’s education minister is being accused of hypocrisy after tweeting a picture of himself with Nobel Prize-winning human rights activist Malala Yousafzai. Jean-Francois Roberge met Yousafzai while in France, and said on Twitter that they discussed education and international development. […]

Confusion, questions as Quebec schools forced to apply ban on religious symbols In midst of teacher shortage, school boards, unions, educators try to make sense of new law

June 21, 2019 Benjamin Shingler

(CBC) Lisa Starr’s job is to find internships for prospective teachers. Her task for next fall just got more complicated, now that Quebec’s ban on religious symbols has been passed into law. “I think there’s a lot of confusion and a lot of […]