Bill 21: Quebec renews notwithstanding clause

The Legault government will introduce a bill on Thursday to protect its secularism law for another five years.

Jean-Francois Roberge, the minister responsible for secularism, will propose renewing the notwithstanding clause, which was first used in June 2019 when the law was passed, his office told The Canadian Press.

Bill 21 prohibits government employees, including teachers, from wearing the Muslim headscarf, Jewish yarmulke, Sikh turban and Christian crosses.

The Quebec Liberal Party (QLP) said on Wednesday it opposes renewing the secularism law's immunity clause.

“Everything we said about (Bill) 21 before the election, during the election and after the election remains the same: we are not in favor of renewing the clause regardless,” MNA Madwa-Nika Cadet said at a press briefing.

Roberge's bill, however, could benefit from the support of the Québécois (PQ) and Quebec Solidaire (QS). PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said he “supports it”.

On the QS side, co-representative Emilese Lessard-Therrien reiterated her party's opposition to banning public officials from wearing religious symbols in high-profile positions.

The debate on Bill 21 should take place in Quebec, not under the Canadian Constitution, which Quebec never signed, he said. “However, on the principle of renewing the clause, we fully support this.”

– This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on February 7, 2024.