Quebec prayer ban in schools challenged in court
Posted May 17, 2023 4:18 pm.
Last Updated May 17, 2023 4:25 pm.
A coalition of Canadian Muslim associations is taking the Quebec government to court after the province formally banned all religious activities in schools last month.
The Canadian Muslim Forum (FMC-CMF) said it had “no choice” but to file its grievances with Superior Court on Wednesday.
“What the community hopes to (achieve) is equality in rights and duties amongst all citizens and residents of Quebec and Canada,” the FMC-CMF said in a statement.
“The community refuses the use of the concept of secularism as a peg, which sometimes is ‘customized’ according to the interests of some policy-makers and their political agendas.”
Education Minister Bernard Drainville banned prayer in schools, vocational training centers and adult education centers on April 20.
Under the directive, all institutions governed by the Education Act will have to ensure that “no place is used, in fact or in appearance, for religious practices such as overt prayers or other similar practices.”
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FMC-CMF says the decision to involve the courts “came as last resort and from the perspective of Quebec citizenry and human rights.”
The coalition is calling for the implementation of “comprehensive secularism,” whereby authorities cannot interfere in the religious concepts and practices of individuals.
“One of the characteristics of inclusive secularism is freedom of every individual to express and practice his/her conviction without fear,” the group said in a statement.
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