Quebec’s Bill 21 and the power of religious symbols (Episode 1822)
A stunning decision in Quebec as the government introduces new legislation to ban religious symbols – worn by certain public employees like police officers, teachers and judges. The proposed bill is a dismantling of what Canada included in our chart of rights – religious freedom and expression. Secularism moves religion out.
But Quebec Premier François Legault is standing firm, saying his government will enact the “notwithstanding clause” to crush any legal challenges to the religious symbols ban.
All of Canada’s federal political party leaders have publicly condemned the legislation, but Quebec is not backing down.
Tonight on Context – we’ll find out why religious expression with symbols matters to our freedom.
RESOURCES:
Bill 21: An Act respecting the laicity of the State
Peter Stockland: The Quebec government’s secularism bill stinks to high heaven
Barbara Kay: What the anglo media misses about Quebec’s religious law
Sheema Khan: The CAQ wants to create two tiers of Quebeckers
GUESTS:
Peter Stockland, Convivium publisher
Barbara Kay, National Post columnist
Sheema Khan, Globe and Mail contributor
Moira McQueen, Director, Canadian Catholic Bioethics Institute
Robert Leckey, Dean, Faculty of Law, McGill University
Patty Bowman Kingsley, Artist
