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After a long period of intense debate , the Provincial Government of Quebec has enacted a bill to prohibit Government employees from wearing visible religious symbols during work hours. This would include crosses, star of David, kipas, turbans, hijabs, or burkas, and other such items.
The government employees covered by this legislation include Police, Fire Fighters, Ambulance workers, public school teachers, child day care teachers, and all Provincial employees in all other departments .
Here is a link to a news story that sets out the law as it applies in Quebec.
The simplest explanation is.......If you want to receive services from a Government agency , you have to have your face uncovered, and if you are a Government employee you have to do the same. In addition a number of other religious symbols are now prohibited in any Government office.
My personal opinion is that this is wrong because, in effect, it tells certain people that they are not welcome to be employed by the province.
Crosses and Stars of David are optional items that religion doesn't require anyone to wear. However, a Sikh cannot go without his turban, or women in certain sects of Islam without the hijab. What about an Orthodox Jewish woman's sheitl? It serves the same purpose as the hijab for a Muslim woman, but she can just say she's wearing a wig for cosmetic purposes.
After a long period of intense debate , the Provincial Government of Quebec has enacted a bill to prohibit Government employees from wearing visible religious symbols during work hours. This would include crosses, star of David, kipas, turbans, hijabs, or burkas, and other such items.
The government employees covered by this legislation include Police, Fire Fighters, Ambulance workers, public school teachers, child day care teachers, and all Provincial employees in all other departments .
Here is a link to a news story that sets out the law as it applies in Quebec.
The article you link says nothing about government employees but rather about those seeking to use government services.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mapleguy
The simplest explanation is.......If you want to receive services from a Government agency , you have to have your face uncovered, and if you are a Government employee you have to do the same. In addition a number of other religious symbols are now prohibited in any Government office.
Your opinion ?
I sympathize with some restrictions on religious attire and adornment for government employees. That said, many things should pass the standard of reasonable accommodation. I see no issue with a crucifix necklace or a yarmulke for, say, a government office worker. Of course, specialized professions might have more restrictions. But the restrictions should not be because of the religious aspect but because the adornment - whether it be religious or secular - presents some sort of hazard or interference with duties. Example: when I served in the military, there were all sorts of restrictions on what individuals could wear.
But for the general public? I think the restrictions are entirely unacceptable. And I say this as an atheist who views religious belief as ranging from benignly nonsensical to ragingly idiotic (depending on the particular flavor of a given belief).
It will be challenged and, I suspect, overturned or greatly modified.
Isn't the issue with it that they can't challenge it on the basis of Human Rights, because the Bill effectively prohibits it by using a particular Constitution clause? This would turn this whole thing into a Constitutional crisis, which may result in Constitutional amendment if successful. I don't know anything about Canada's legal system so probably talking out of my backside.
EDIT: Never mind, I am talking out of my backside. Gonna go and read up on it, as I seem to be confusing Bill 21 and Bill 62.
Last edited by Itzpapalotl; 06-17-2019 at 04:13 PM..
I'm not a lawyer or constitutional expert but I believe the Quebec decision can be challenged via the federal Charter of Rights and Freedoms. And I expect it will be.
I'm not a lawyer or constitutional expert but I believe the Quebec decision can be challenged via the federal Charter of Rights and Freedoms. And I expect it will be.
Maybe the Not Withstanding Clause?
will the Minister of National Defense be refused service? Can the Darwin fish be used? If two women go into a provincial building, one a Mennonite the other am atheist who gets ear infections from the wind, will only one be kicked out?
Is the Canadiens sweater considered a religious symbol?
I can see that the idea is to have the level playing field with no one religion (or any other) given dress -code exemption. In fact it is going to look discriminatory and will be challenged on the basis of human rights. It's one of those cases where the change has to come from the bottom up rather than be imposed from the top down.
There are cases where religious garb will make a job impossible or at least impossible within the law. Sikh headgear and safely helmets is an obvious example. Muslim womens' garb is another and equally touchy example.
This topic doesn't have anything to do with atheism apart from providing one more opportunity to appreciate the advantages of rejecting religion. Among the gods in which I do not believe, are the gods which come with a dress code for adherents.
Quebec should probably consider beefing up their internal security if they are going to insist on letting this law stand.
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