Teacher from Chelsea, Que., who lost job due to Bill 21 reveals its impact

Fatemeh Anvari was removed from her position teaching Grade 3 students at Chelsea Elementary School because of Bill 21.

International Women’s Day is a day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. But Anvari feels the Quebec government has made that extremely difficult for those who look like and have the same dreams as her.

Anvari lost her teaching job in western Quebec in 2021 because she wore a hijab. Under Bill 21, that’s not allowed for those in public positions of authority, such as teachers.

“Our Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees to every Canadian freedom of religion,” she said. “What came to my mind at first was, ‘OK, so the Charter does not apply to all Canadians equally?’

“We were told by our prime minister, a Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian. But I mean, is that what we’re seeing now? Or does it not apply equally to all Canadians?”

Anvari’s family hails from Iran, a country where it’s compulsory for women to wear the hijab or face legal consequences.

Although she acknowledges the enforcement of Bill 21 is not violent in Quebec as it is in Iran..

Bill 21 was   just recently upheld by Quebec’s court of appeal.

“I think that in essence, there is no difference because it all comes down to policing women and their choices,” she explained. “And I see both as equally wrong, both as defying, I guess, basic human rights. And I think that both need to be very seriously confronted.”

Bill 21 was recently upheld by Quebec’s Court of Appeal.

Anvari reflects on how that makes her feel. “Do I have the same opportunities as anyone else with the exact same background, skills, passion, everything that does not wear a hijab? Of course not.

“When I think that the school where I worked at was probably 15-20 minutes from Parliament Hill from our democracy, like that’s where our democracy happens. And to think that this happens just 20 minutes away is… I think it’s even too much to think about. I can’t even grasp how huge that is to think about that. It’s definitely disappointing.”

Anvari says she’s received heartbreaking messages from former students wishing she were still their teacher.

“I really wish that someday we can enjoy our rights and freedoms as Canadians equally,” Anvari said. “And that our personal choices, our beliefs, our backgrounds, are not used as a tool to discriminate against us. And that goes for every Canadian. There are a lot of people who are affected by Bill 21 from the Sikh faith, from the Jewish faith, and it’s definitely unjustifiable.”