Parti Québécois

Clerics & Preachers

Quebec leaders want hate speech investigation into Adil Charkaoui The controversial imam gave a speech to a Montreal pro-Palestinian rally in which he called for the extermination of 'Zionist aggressors.'

November 7, 2023   

(Montreal Gazette) The leaders of Quebec’s four main political parties are calling for well-known and controversial imam Adil Charkaoui to be investigated for possible hate crimes after he delivered a prayer calling for the extermination of “Zionist aggressors” during a pro-Palestinian demonstration […]

Academics & Education

Muslim groups ask court to quash Quebec’s ‘discriminatory’ school prayer ban The ban violates 'the fundamental rights of minors and adults in terms of their freedom of religion, freedom of conscience, but also individuals' right of association,' the organizations argue.

May 17, 2023   

(Montreal Gazette) Six Muslim groups are asking a Quebec court to declare unconstitutional a new provincial edict that bans religious activity in public schools. In a lawsuit filed this week, the groups asked Quebec Superior Court to “declare constitutionally invalid, inapplicable, inoperative […]

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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   

(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 […]

Academics & Education

Legault government up in arms after EMSB awarded federal funds to fight pair of Quebec laws Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says funding is allocated by program independent of federal government

February 5, 2020   

(CBC) The Quebec government says Ottawa has some explaining to do after it was revealed that the English Montreal School Board is funding two separate legal challenges of provincial laws with federal tax dollars. “We need an explanation from the federal government,” […]

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François Legault’s high-stakes game with the courts and Quebec’s secularism law Premier faces a test as supporters of the controversial Bill 21 question Quebec's chief justice

December 9, 2019   

(CBC) The stakes around Quebec’s secularism law have always been high, but somehow they’ve managed to become even higher in recent days. The law (Bill 21) has already altered the career choices of dozens, maybe hundreds, of aspiring public school teachers, prosecutors and police officers by […]

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Dawson College professor accuses Quebec’s top judge of bias against Bill 21 Frédéric Bastien has filed formal complaint against Nicole Duval Hesler, chief justice of the Court of Appeal

December 2, 2019   

(CBC) A Quebec historian has launched a formal complaint against the chief justice of the province’s Court of Appeal over comments she made about the province’s religious symbols law. Frédéric Bastien, who teaches history at Dawson College, said taken together, Justice Nicole Duval […]

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In retort to Trudeau, Quebec’s premier asks federal leaders to ‘stay out’ of secularism law forever Liberal leader 'deeply opposed' to law, but says legal intervention not in the cards 'for the moment'

September 11, 2019   

(CBC) Justin Trudeau said Wednesday that a Liberal government would not get involved in legal challenges to Quebec’s religious symbols law, at least not “for the moment.” But that wasn’t good enough for the province’s premier, François Legault, who wants a commitment from all federal […]

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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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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 […]

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 […]

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Quebec government’s proposed secularism law would ban public workers from wearing religious symbols Bill invokes notwithstanding clause to block any potential charter challenges

March 28, 2019   

(CBC) The Coalition Avenir Québec government is proposing a new law that would prohibit public workers in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols such as a hijab, kippa or turban. The stated aim of the bill, titled, “An act respecting the laicity of […]

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Notwithstanding clause could stop debate over Quebec’s secularism bill before it starts Province poised to ban teachers and judges, among others, from wearing signs of their faith

March 27, 2019   

(CBC) As the Quebec government prepares to table its secularism bill, constitutional experts are raising concerns about Premier François Legault’s reported plans to pre-emptively invoke the notwithstanding clause to ensure public workers in positions of authority are banned from wearing religious symbols. Robert Leckey, dean of McGill […]

Academics & Education

Public school teachers, principals to be banned from wearing religious symbols Sources have told Radio-Canada the CAQ's secularism bill will go further than initially expected

March 25, 2019   

(CBC) Quebec public schools teachers and school principals will be prohibited from wearing religious symbols such as the hijab or kippa, under a bill likely to be tabled later this week in the provincial legislature. The long-awaited legislation from the Coaltion Avenir […]