Clerics & Preachers

Quebec vows to ban ‘street prayers’ in the wake of mass Islamic demonstrations Quebec anxiety with the sight of public Islamic prayers has been present in some form long before the practice became a fixture of anti-Israel protests

(National Post) With Quebec promising on Thursday to ban “street prayers,” the province’s minister of laicity has avoided mention of any particular faith. Jean-François Roberge issued a Thursday statement referencing only a “proliferation of street prayers” in Quebec. Roberge added that it […]

Academics & Education

Quebec bill would extend religious symbols ban to school support workers, force students to uncover faces Headscarves prohibited for all school staff, parent volunteers under proposed legislation

(CBC) The Quebec government has put forward legislation that would extend the province’s ban on the wearing of religious symbols to support staff in schools, and prohibit students from having their faces covered. Under Bill 94, the ban would apply to all staff […]

Academics & Education

Quebec education minister suggests expanding religious symbol ban to some school support staff Bernard Drainville vowed to introduce new legislation to strengthen secularism in schools

(CBC) Quebec’s education minister said Friday the government is considering expanding its ban on religious symbols to include daycare supervisors and other school aides. Bernard Drainville told Radio-Canada’s Tout un matin he was concerned that there are some school staff members who […]

Academics & Education

After religious symbols law, Quebec eyes ban on public prayer: Where the province is headed on secularism Existing laws, jurisprudence appear to provide plenty of ammo for Quebec to address school controversies

(CBC) After the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government tabled its secularism bill, Premier François Legault recorded a video address that intended to reassure people who felt the proposed legislation was going too far. “I feel like saying ‘finally,’” the premier said in […]

Academics & Education

MPs call for crackdown on student protest encampments, ban on display of terror symbols Many recommendations in the antisemitism and Islamophobia reports were rejected by Conservative, Bloc MPs

(CBC) In two reports on antisemitism and Islamophobia in Canada, Liberal and NDP MPs on the House of Commons justice committee said Ottawa should take steps to keep student protest encampments off university grounds, criminally ban the display of terrorist emblems and recognize […]

Academics & Education

Religious indoctrination allegations at east-end Montreal school are unfounded: service centre 'No separation of girls/boys was imposed,' CSSPI corporate services director says

(CBC) An investigation into a potential case of religious indoctrination at a school in Montreal’s Saint-Léonard borough has found that the allegations were groundless. Alphonse-Pesant elementary school is part of the Pointe-de-l’Île school service centre (CSSPI), which covers eastern Montreal. The CSSPI […]

Academics & Education

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.

(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 […]