The newly-elected Premier of Quebec, Francois Legault of the CAQ, has caused outrage in the province. He recently claimed that the crucifix that hangs in Quebec’s legislature is not a religious symbol but rather a staple of the province’s history, saying, “In our past, we had Protestants and Catholics. They built the values we have in Quebec. We have to recognise that and not mix that with religious signs.” This move goes against a 2008 report suggesting the symbol be removed from the legislature, and follows in the footsteps of the Parti Quebecois, which tried to implement a Charter of Values that would have carried out the same policy but that ultimately failed.
This claim has been widely controversial because of Legault’s repeated promises to ban civil servants, including teachers, judges and police officers, from wearing religious symbols at work under the guise of secularism. As a result, his defense of the crucifix has been seen by many as proof that his cry for secularism is nothing more than an attempt to target minority populations, notably Muslim women.
Since the election that saw the CAQ win a majority government, members of minority groups have expressed their outrage and vowed to fight back against the party’s politics. Furheen Ahmed, a teacher who wears the hijab, criticized Legault, saying “”Come look at what goes on in my classroom and what we’re learning and discussing, and see for yourself if it’s not neutral because I’m wearing something on my head, and I’d ask them: ‘What are you afraid of?’ Because to me, this is coming from a place of ignorance and/or fear, and the ignorance, if you come to sit in the classroom and see what happens, that might be lifted.”
The election was less than a month ago, and it remains unclear how much of this will play out. Minority groups and allies, however, remain committed to challenging the party’s policies, a fact that has been proven by the many protests that have taken place throughout the city since October 1st.
Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45842471
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