Quick Quotes: Reaction to Quebec court ruling on Bill 21, religious symbols law
by The Canadian Press
Last Updated Apr 20, 2021 at 4:44 pm EDT
Quebec Superior Court Justice Marc-Andre Blanchard on Tuesday upheld the bulk of the province’s secularism law, known as Bill 21, which bans many public sector workers from wearing religious symbols on the job. Blanchard, however, struck down clauses pertaining to English-language school boards and a ban on members of the provincial legislature wearing face coverings. Quebec has announced it will appeal the ruling.
Here’s a quick look at some of the reaction to the decision:
“Our position has always been that Bill 21 conflicted with our values and our mission and with those of all Quebecers as expressed in the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. Its very adoption was contrary to our societal goal of promoting our peaceful co-existence in a pluralistic and inclusive Quebec.” Joe Ortona, chairman, English Montreal Schoo
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The City of Montreal has changed its stand and announced a pedestrian walkway on the sciences campus of the Université de Montréal will be named after the late Parti Québécois cabinet minister Camille Laurin.
In a message posted on her Twitter account, Mayor Valérie Plante said she would follow the suggestion of the Société d’histoire d’Outremont and ask that the walkway be renamed after Laurin, known as the father of Quebec’s language charter.
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Quick Quotes: Reaction to Quebec court ruling on Bill 21, religious symbols law
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Quebec Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette speaks to reporters at the legislature in Quebec City, Tuesday, April 20, 2021. Jolin-Barrette confirmed his government will appeal a court decision on Bill 21. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot
Quebec Superior Court Justice Marc-Andre Blanchard on Tuesday upheld the bulk of the province’s secularism law, known as Bill 21, which bans many public sector workers from wearing religious symbols on the job. Blanchard, however, struck down clauses pertaining to English-language school boards and a ban on members of the provincial legislature wearing face coverings. Quebec has announced it will appeal the ruling.
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QUEBEC The Quebec government will appeal a Superior Court ruling which exempts the province’s English school boards and MNAs from its state secularism law.
Quebec Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette made the announcement Tuesday within a few hours of the ruling.
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“There are not two Quebecs, there is only one,” Jolin-Barrette said, adding Quebec cannot accept that laws adopted by the legislature apply to some citizens and not others.
Jolin-Barrette said Judge Marc-André Blanchard also erred in invoking Section 23 of the 1982 constitution, which protects linguistic rights, to cover the issue of religious symbols.
Quick Quotes: Reaction to Quebec court ruling on Bill 21, religious symbols law
Quebec Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette speaks to reporters at the legislature in Quebec City, Tuesday, April 20, 2021. Jolin-Barrette confirmed his government will appeal a court decision on Bill 21. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot April 20, 2021 - 1:36 PM
Quebec Superior Court Justice Marc-Andre Blanchard on Tuesday upheld the bulk of the province s secularism law, known as Bill 21, which bans many public sector workers from wearing religious symbols on the job. Blanchard, however, struck down clauses pertaining to English-language school boards and a ban on members of the provincial legislature wearing face coverings. Quebec has announced it will appeal the ruling.