Harini Sivalingam, Director of Equality Program at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association made the following statement in reaction to Quebec Bill 94 – An Act to reinforce laicity in the education network:
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association urges the Quebec National Assembly to withdraw Bill 94 – An Act to reinforce laicity in the education network. The CCLA recognizes the need to ensure safe learning and working environments for students and staff. Bill 94 does not achieve this objective. Instead, it forces people to choose between their faith and pursuing their education and professional careers.
Bill 94 perpetuates and exacerbates existing harmful civil liberties violations by expanding the current ban on the wearing of religious symbols by some civil servants to include education support workers. This Bill, if passed, would also require students to keep their faces uncovered while at school and receiving school services, including private schools and homeschooled students receiving school services. This represents an alarming expansion of state surveillance and is an unprecedented government intrusion into the private lives of students and families in Quebec. It will disproportionately and discriminatorily impact women and minority racial, religious, and immigrant communities.
Bill 94 would also prohibit visible prayers in schools. This blanket prohibition significantly and unjustifiably impairs the religious freedom of students and staff.
The proposed law would also invoke the notwithstanding clauses of both the Quebec Charter and the Canadian Charter. In doing so, the Quebec government is yet again preemptively overriding fundamental human rights and civil liberties including equality rights, freedom of expression and freedom of religion. If the Quebec government truly believes that these rights limitations are justified reasonable and justified, it should have the courage to defend its legislation before the courts. Instead, it is bypassing the democratic dialogue that is at the essential in a free and democratic society.
Given the clearly unconstitutional nature of Bill 94, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association strongly recommends that Bill 94 be withdrawn. Should the government proceed with Bill 94, we call on members of the Quebec National Assembly who are committed to upholding rights and freedoms to vote against Bill 94 in its current form. We urge the Quebec government to engage in meaningful consultations with students, parents, teachers, and education workers including those from minority religious communities on any future efforts about the education sector.
About the Canadian Civil Liberties Association
The CCLA is an independent, non-profit organization with supporters from across the country. Founded in 1964, the CCLA is a national human rights organization committed to defending the rights, dignity, safety, and freedoms of all people in Canada.
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