The CEO of the National Council of Canadian Muslims, Stephen Brown, has spoken out against Quebec’s secularism law, Bill 21, calling it cruel and dehumanizing. Brown, a sixth-generation Afro-Canadian, points out that just one generation ago, people who looked like him were barred from educational professions, a situation that is now being experienced by some religious minorities in Quebec due to this law. Brown and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) are taking their case to Canada’s Supreme Court, arguing that Bill 21 has exacerbated social tensions and led to people losing their jobs as it prohibits many public sector workers, including teachers, from wearing religious attire at work. The groups question whether rights and freedoms in Canada can be easily taken away without any judicial oversight, highlighting the importance of judicial intervention in such matters.
Several organizations, including the FAE teachers’ union and the English Montreal School Board, are also heading to the Supreme Court to challenge Bill 21 after Quebec’s Court of Appeal upheld the law earlier this year. Civil rights lawyer Julius Grey, who represented some intervenors in the case, believes that certain issues like language, the equality of men and women, and the use of the notwithstanding clause by Quebec to protect Bill 21, should be reassessed by the Supreme Court. Grey emphasizes the need to restrict any government’s use of the notwithstanding clause in order to prevent the erosion of rights guaranteed by the Canadian Charter. He notes that many groups are appealing to the Supreme Court because they are concerned about the possibility of a society without charter protection.
Despite the concerns raised by opponents of Bill 21, Quebec French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge maintains that the law is legitimate and enjoys widespread support in Quebec. Roberge denies that the law has led to any job losses, describing it as moderate and reflecting a consensus in the province. However, the federal government has signaled its intention to intervene in the case if it reaches the Supreme Court in order to protect the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Canada’s immigration minister, Marc Miller, has emphasized the government’s responsibility to advocate for the interests of Canadians and uphold the Charter in this matter. The groups challenging Bill 21 now await the Supreme Court’s decision on whether to hear their arguments, highlighting the importance of judicial review in safeguarding fundamental rights and freedoms in Canada.
