By Canadian Press

Criticism and court challenge ahead of Quebec’s tabling of secularism bill

Mar 26, 2019 | 12:11 PM

MONTREAL — Opposition to the Quebec government’s secularism bill is increasing ahead of Thursday’s expected tabling of the long-awaited legislation.

A major teachers’ federation filed a lawsuit today against the government’s attempts to count the number of teachers who wear religious symbols.

La Federation autonome de l’enseignement wants the Superior Court to declare unconstitutional any steps by the government to force schools to provide information on the religious symbols worn by employees.

Francois Legault’s Coalition Avenir Quebec government says it plans to prohibit some public sector workers, including teachers, judges police officers and prison guards, from wearing conspicuous religious symbols on the job. News reports indicate Immigration, Diversity and Inclusiveness Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette will table his bill Thursday, but his spokesman today would not confirm that.

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Philippe-Andre Tessier, the head of the provincial human rights commission, told Montreal La Presse today he opposes the use of the so-called notwithstanding clause to block judicial challenges to the bill.

The newspaper reported last week the government plans to use Section 33 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms pre-emptively to avoid having the bill tied up in the courts for years.

The Canadian Press