Protest in opposition of Quebec’s Bill 21 as 3-year anniversary approaches

A few dozen Montrealers gathered Saturday to rally against Bill 21 in the lead-up to the controversial secularism law’s third anniversary.

The protesters voiced their opposition to what they call a discriminatory law.

The province’s secularism law bans certain government employees like judges, teachers and police officers from wearing religious symbols at work.

“It affects all Quebecers at different levels,” said Lina El Bakir, the Quebec advocacy officer with the National Council of Canadian Muslims. “It creates divide. It creates hate. It allows for that discrimination to permeate our society. Why do we want that?

“We’re really here to say enough. We need to have justice.

“It’s a human rights issue. We’re all here together because we believe that we all belong.”

Advocates say since the enactment of Bill 21 on June 16, 2019, it’s clashed with fundamental rights and freedoms of minority Quebecers.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re Muslim, if you are Sikh, if you’re affected directly by the law, if you’re Jewish wearing a kippah, it’s really a matter of human rights,” said rally organizer Ehab Lotayef. “It’s not something that we should see in a society that respects itself and considers itself a civilized, human-rights-respecting society.”

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Critics say the bill disproportionately impacts women and minorities, and even fuels xenophobia and fear of other cultures.

In December 2021, Fatemeh Anvari, a Grade 3 teacher at Chelsea Elementary School, just north of Gatineau, was removed from her post because she wore a hijab.

“It’s just ridiculous for us to have limited choices because of such bills,” said Harginder Kaur, with the World Sikh Organization of Canada. “We don’t understand why it would impact anything in the future if, for example, we want to be teachers or police officers. What effects will a turban or a hijab be changing, you know?

“It’s really about what’s inside and not what’s outside.”

Both the Quebec government and groups opposing the law have appealed an April 2021 Quebec Superior Court decision that upheld most of the law, while striking down provisions that related to English-language school boards and a ban on members of the provincial legislature wearing face coverings.

The case is currently before the Quebec Court of Appeal.

“We are one of the organizations that started a constitutional challenge to Bill 21 that is still pending through the courts,” said Laura Berger, a lawyer with the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. “We have submitted our written arguments before the Quebec Court of Appeal, and we are hoping to get an oral hearing before the Court of Appeal sometime this fall.”

The federal government says it will join a legal challenge to Quebec’s religious symbols law if it reaches the country’s highest court.

“We’ll continue to fight against it,” said Lotayef. “Three years ago today and into the future. Until it’s appealed.”

The handful of protesters gathered Saturday near Park Avenue and rue Jean-Talon on a sunny Montreal morning.

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One protester held a sign reading: “I don’t pick which clothes you wear, don’t pick mine.”

Another sign, addressed to Quebec Premier François Legault, said: “Legault, respect our rights.”

Legault has defended Quebec’s secularism law, saying it is reasonable and balanced.

“I’m affected by this law,” said Mandeep Kaur with the World Sikh Organization of Canada. “I wear a religious symbol, so I have to come here… I think that this law is a representation of racism. And I think we shouldn’t normalize that.”

Protesters say every person in Quebec should have access to all the fundamental rights and freedoms.

“The message to the community, to society at large is think openly,” said Lotayef. “We are here to live together.”