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Articles on Quebec niqab law

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The media and politicians with a vested interest pit provinces against each other. But a study shows there are lots of differences of opinion within provinces, and geography doesn’t matter much. Here Quebec residents protest against the government’s Bill 21, which bans religious headgear, in April 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Canada: Is it really a country divided?

Despite decades of bickering and hand-wringing, Canada continues on. National tensions, in and of themselves, are not leading us to poor policy outcomes.
Like any employer, the Québec government has an obligation of reasonable accommodation when it comes to its employees. Shutterstock

Notwithstanding clause or not, Québec must accommodate its employees

As an employer, how will the Québec government’s duty to reasonably accommodate the needs of its employees conflict with its plan to ban religious symbols among some civil servants?
The crucifix is seen inside the the National Assembly in Québec in November 2013. The Québec government has been criticized for pushing for a niqab ban while defending the presence of the crucifix in the legislature. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

The hypocrisy of Québec’s move to ban religious dress

Québec is pushing to ban public servants from wearing religious garb even as the crucifix hangs in its legislature. It’s ironic and hypocritical for a province that prides itself on secularism.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford speaks to reporters in Toronto on Sept. 10, 2018. He’s vowing to invoke the seldom used notwithstanding clause in his fight to slash the size of Toronto city council. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov.

The history of the notwithstanding clause

The notwithstanding clause in Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms has seldom been used. But it’s not totally gathering dust, and now Ontario Premier Doug Ford is threatening to wield it.

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