«"The purpose of local gov: 2 provide exemplary service 2 ppl in our community, w/o judgement. The English #language forms important part o identity o majority o our residents. We have ppl in our community who r gay & straight, French-speaking & English-speaking, Christian, Jewish & Muslim. The only way 2 provide municipal service in community like ours: through rspct & tolrnce o differences. #Bill96—like #Bill21 before it—is flawed; we look to making our case in court"»

https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/these-23-municipalities-are-taking-quebec-to-court-over-bill-96-1.6431451

Pour les droits des femmes du Québec (#PDFQuébec ) is a #WomensGroup that has #lobbied in support of #Bill21 (which prevents civil servants, teachers & others from wearing visible religious symbols) & against #legislation such as #Bill C16 , which aims to #protect #GenderDiverse people from #Discrimination .

**For the 2022-2023 #FiscalYear - #QuébecGovernment gave PDF Québec $143,000, #CBC #reported**

https://xtramagazine.com/power/activism/quebec-anti-trans-247757

#StopTransHate #Canada #DefundPDFQuebec #HateGroup #HumanRights

@keithzg Now, there may be lots of anti-Muslim sentiment in #Québec , but that statistic proves nothing. What would be relevant would be the proportion of supporters of #Bill21 who were anti-Muslim.

Ms. Elghawaby played loose with the facts in order to make #Islamophobia seem like a common sentiment for Quebeckers. She should have been more careful: exaggerating real problems sows distrust rather than finding solutions.

#CanPol #polqc

Beaverton: Quebec outraged that anti-Islamophobia representative is able to identify Islamophobic law https://www.thebeaverton.com/2023/02/quebec-outraged-that-anti-islamophobia-representative-is-able-to-identify-islamophobic-law/ #satire #canada #commentary #FrancoisLegault #FeaturedPost #Islamophobia #secularism #National #Muslims #Bill21 #Quebec #Islam

1. It's hard to imagine a Canadian anti-Islamophobia representative who did not oppose #Québec 's #Bill21 .

2. How could the feds not have been prepared to defend Ms. #AmiraElghawaby?

3. “A poll conducted by Léger Marketing earlier this year found that 88 per cent of Quebecers who held negative views of Islam supported the ban.” Who were the 12% of Quebeckers with a negative view of Islam who *opposed* the hijab ban for teachers?

https://nationalpost.com/opinion/chris-selley-liberal-anti-islamophobia-does-not-include-quebec

#PL21
#CanPol #polqc
#NationalPost

https://www.reddit.com/r/islam/comments/rcgupd/teacher_removed_from_a_quebec_elementary/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

#tbt #bill21 #pq #qc #quebec #fbf #jemesouviens #fr #france #secularism #secular #bureaucracy #canadiamhistory #histoire #histoireducanada #canadien #quebecois #quebec #teacher #religion #state #canpoli #capol #cdnpoli #separatism #separatisme #elxn41 #elxn42 #trudeau #labelleprovince #xenophobia

Listen here

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cljwln9JKZz/

For the live recorded conversation between our CEO Stephen Brown and Quebec Advocacy Officer Lina El Bakir as they answered your questions on Bill 21,

The notwithstanding clause,

Our ongoing legal battle and the ripple effects of the law.

| #NCCM #Bill21

LIVE NOW: What you need to know about Bill 21

https://www.instagram.com/nccmquebec_cnmc/live/17978100253727964/?igshid=NDk5N2NlZjQ%3D

We know that many of you have questions about Bill 21 and our fight.

Many of you have questions for what you can do to join in this fight.

| #Bill21 #Canadians #Islamophobia #NCCM #NationalCouncilOfCanadianMuslims #CanadianMuslims #Muslims #qcpoli #cdnpoli

Using the notwithstanding clause to shield it also means unions can't properly advocate and negotiate the best conditions for the workers they rep—in this case, civil servants.

It has been an intense few days!

Our team did a great job arguing the racism of Bill 21.

As have the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) & many other allies.

This law = second-class citizenship

The battle isn't over.

We will keep fighting.

| #Bill21 #NotWithStandingClause #NCCM #CCLA

Bill 21 also disproportionately affects women who have the right to dress as they with to express their faith.

Our allies made sure to note that the notwithstanding clause cannot be used to protect a law that enforced sex-based unequal rights.

It was also argued that how Bill 21 affects people's employment wasn't examined properly.

| #Bill21 #Quebec #NotWithStandingClause

This Wednesday was Day 5 and the last day for any arguments to be made on Bill 21 in court!

Our allies argued that the Quebec government should not have been allowed to use notwithstanding clause to protect Bill 21,

since it pertains to matters of religion.

Freedom of religion & expression are fundamental.

They, our allies argued, are not parts of the Charter that can be overridden by the use of the notwithstanding clause.

| #Bill21 #Quebec #NotWithStandingClause

It was also argued that Bill 21 has a penal aspect, like punishing or firing civil servants who don't comply.

Any such penal aspect is not the province's domain.

So the Government of Quebec, it was argued, overstepped its bounds.

Plus, the object of Bill 21, relates very clearly to social value—which also falls under the federal government, not the provinces.

And so again, it was argued, the Quebec government stepped outside of its jurisdiction here.

| #Bill21 #Quebec

It violates religious freedom, particularly for marginalized communities and women.

Our allies also argued that Bill 21 is inconsistent.

As well as incoherent.

It disallows civil servants from wearing religious symbols at work, but many work from home.

Teachers, for example, mark tests at home.

The law is arbitrary in its application.

| #Bill21 #Quebec

Finally, it was argued last Wednesday that the law doesn't allow governments in Canada to grab power to hurt people by misusing the Charter.

That's what the Quebec government did to try to shield Bill 21.

And now certain civil servants have to pick between their religion and their job.

Last Thursday, or Day 4, both sides argued more about the constitution's protection of free expression & religion.

Bill 21, therefore, is unconstitutional.

| #Bill21 #Quebec

Then opponents of Bill 21 argued how our constitution long guaranteed civil rights,

Even before the Charter existed.

The Quebec government used the Charter to attempt to shield Bill 21.

But the constitution is supposed to protect minorities who Bill 21 now heavily hurts.

| #Bill21 #Quebec

Days 3, 4, & 5 wrap-ups of our fight against Bill 21 at the Quebec Court of Appeal.

This week has been a historic one as we and our allies made our arguments in court.

A comprehensive thread! 🧵

Last Wednesday, arguments were made about English school boards in Quebec not following Bill 21, on the basis of protecting minority rights.

Our allies argued that Bill 21 impedes English schools' commitment towards pluralism.

The law is currently in effect in these schools.

| #Bill21 #Quebec #NCCM

We all have the right to pursue the life we want.

To be treated equally.

To fulfil our dreams.

That's why we were back in court November 10 2022,

at the Quebec Court of Appeal,

to fight Bill 21.

Our sacred rights are now in jeopardy.

Instead of fairness, we have second class citizenship.

Instead of free expression, we have discrimination.

This has to stop.

Stop second class citizenship.

Stop Bill 21

http://www.nccm.ca/defeatBill21

| #Bill21 #Quebec #NCCM

We retorted:

Only the state and its institutions,

not its employees,

have to remain "neutral" when it comes to religion.

A civil servant wearing a kippah or hijab doesn't mean their institution or the government privileges their faith.

| #Bill21 #Quebec #NCCM

Bill 21 disproportionately disadvantages Muslim women's religious freedoms.

It is thus a violation of women's rights.

Attorney General of Quebec also tried to argue against exempting Quebec's English school boards from Bill 21.

They are all currently exempt.

Mouvement laïque du Québec also argued: civil servants like teachers should not reveal their beliefs or convictions.

Wearing, say, the hijab would betray this.

This is a fundamental violation of people's religious expression.

|#Bill21

Day 2 wrap-up of our fight against Bill 21 at the Quebec Court of Appeal.

November 8 2022 : parties argued about the notwithstanding clause & how it should be applied.

A thread. 🧵

The notwithstanding clause allows provinces to bypass several sections of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

BUT it CANNOT override Section 28, which says all people must enjoy equal rights regardless of gender.

And YET, as argued by the English Montreal School Board...

| #Bill21 #NotWithStandingClause #Quebec