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 […]

Government & Politics

UN official withdraws from Montreal conference featuring Canadian leader of Samidoun terror group An updated list of individuals participating in the inaugural 'Coordinating Council 4 Palestine' conference has removed Albanese's name as the keynote speaker on Saturday evening

(National Post) United Nations special rapporteur for the Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese has withdrawn from a Montreal conference featuring Charlotte Kates, the founder of Samidoun, a designated terror group. An updated list of individuals participating in the inaugural “Coordinating Council 4 Palestine” […]

Government & Politics

Controversial UN official to speak at Montreal event featuring leader of designated terror group Charlotte Kates is on a panel at the 'Coordinating Council 4 Palestine' conference and Francesca Albanese will give the concluding keynote address

(National Post) Francesca Albanese, the embattled United Nations special rapporteur overseeing the Palestinian territories, is set to headline a Montreal event featuring Charlotte Kates, a leader of Samidoun, a designated terror group. The inaugural “Coordinating Council 4 Palestine” conference will be held on […]

Academics & Education

Quebec opens investigation on another religious incident in a public school 'If these events are confirmed, you can be sure decisions will be made,' says Education Minister Bernard Drainville. 'I'm not going to let this go on without a very firm and determined response.'

(Montreal Gazette) The Quebec government has opened an investigation into another incident of religion reappearing in a public elementary school, with Education Minister Bernard Drainville saying Quebec will not turn a blind eye to the fresh allegations. One day after suspending the […]

Academics & Education

Students at Montreal high school under investigation say teacher made comments that shocked class School service centre says it spoke to teacher following the remarks

(CBC) High school students at one of the four Montreal schools under investigation by Quebec’s Education Ministry for alleged toxic behaviour among staff say their teacher referenced wanting to hit them last week. The students’ account is one of the few specific incidents […]

Academics & Education

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

(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 […]

Academics & Education

Liberal MNA Marwah Rizqy asks for police protection in wake of threats She says she fears for her safety and that of her family after speaking up about a toxic climate at the Bedford school.

(Montreal Gazette) Saying she fears for her safety and that of her family, St-Laurent MNA Marwah Rizqy has asked for police protection. Rizqy was repeatedly insulted after denouncing the situation at Bedford elementary school that came to light in a recent investigation […]

Academics & Education

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.

(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 […]

Academics & Education

PQ leader calls for stricter secularism rules in wake of ‘toxic’ climate report at Bedford school Paul St-Pierre Plamondon says the education minister only referred to 'ideological divergences' in a Radio-Canada interview, without acknowledging the religious part of the equation.

(Montreal Gazette) Urging politicians to not shy away from the debate because it involves religion, Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon called Monday for stricter secularism rules in the wake of the Bedford school controversy. St-Pierre Plamondon said what happened in the […]

Academics & Education

’11 teachers all at once?’: Parents shocked by suspensions at Montreal school Several Muslim parents with children at Bedford school said they fear the suspensions will fuel political discourse.

(Montreal Gazette) Parents at a Montreal primary school where 11 teachers were suspended over the weekend expressed shock and confusion during after-school pickup on Monday, with several questioning if the situation had been blown out of proportion. The suspensions, announced on Saturday, […]

Academics & Education

Montreal elementary school under investigation for ‘toxic’ learning environment 3 other CSSDM schools to be audited after reports of similar incidents

(CBC) Quebec’s Education Ministry has placed a Montreal elementary school under watch after an investigation found that teachers fostered a “toxic” environment that psychologically harmed students for years. Reporting by Quebec radio station 98.5 FM in 2023 on incidents at the school […]

Interfaith

Terror suspect who entered Canada on student visa to await U.S. evidence in jail U.S. authorities, seeking extradition, have not yet filed details of the case against Muhammad Shahzeb Khan

(CBC) A Pakistani national accused of planning a terror attack against a Jewish centre in Brooklyn, New York, likely will spend several more weeks in Quebec’s Bordeaux jail while U.S. authorities present evidence to back up an extradition request. Muhammad Shahzeb Khan […]

Children & Teens

The six Canadian terror plots police have foiled since October 7 The increasing incidents of violence and foiled terror plots have raised alarm about the country potentially becoming a focal point for extremist activities

(National Post) Since the October 7 terror attacks in Israel, Canadian police have thwarted six alleged terror plots across the country, with arrests spanning from Edmonton to Ottawa to Toronto. Some of these plots reportedly targeted the Jewish community, reflecting rising concerns […]

Government & Politics

Terror suspect accused of plotting attack in New York came to Canada on student visa: minister Authorities allege Muhammad Shahzeb Khan planned to carry out a mass shooting at a Jewish centre in New York

(CBC) A man who was arrested last week for allegedly attempting to enter the U.S. illegally to carry out a mass shooting came to Canada on a student visa, Canada’s immigration minister says. Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, was arrested in Ormstown, Que., […]

Interfaith

How man living in Canada allegedly planned to kill Jews in New York City Before settling on the target location, Khan suggested that they attend events at synagogues, taking note of emergency exits, so their targets could be trapped during the attack

(National Post) In encrypted messages, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan warned his co-conspirators “to keep no beard and take the appearance of the kuffar” (unbelievers), lest they attract the attention of the authorities in the lead-up to an alleged plot to cross from Canada […]

Clerics & Preachers

Meeting between Trudeau and Muslim leaders in Quebec called off after many refuse to attend Many Muslim leaders have attacked the government over its stance on the war in Gaza

(CBC) A meeting between Muslim leaders in Quebec and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau planned for this afternoon north of Montreal — weeks ahead of a critical byelection in the city — was cancelled after many of those invited refused to attend, CBC News has learned. “Many members […]

Academics & Education

Appeal Court upholds Quebec law that bars teachers, police from wearing religious symbols Civil liberties groups argued law discriminates against Muslim women who wear head coverings

(CBC) The Quebec Court of Appeal has upheld the province’s controversial secularism law in a ruling on challenges to the law’s constitutionality released Thursday afternoon. The heavily anticipated judgment is 290 pages long and quashes a previous exception, made by Superior Court […]