THE Quebec The federal government says it’s going to ban spiritual symbols for daycare employees in its newest try to implement secularism guidelines throughout the province.
Secularism Minister Jean-François Roberge stated Thursday that the federal government is performing in the perfect pursuits of kids. “I feel it’s essential to offer a impartial atmosphere for college students,” he advised reporters in Quebec Metropolis.
“We all know that Quebecers are supporting us on this,” he stated.
In an announcement on social media, the minister stated that there’s “broad consensus” in Quebec in favor of strengthening secularism.
The announcement fulfills a key suggestion in a virtually 300-page report printed this summer season by a committee tasked with advising the province on learn how to enhance secularism. This report established 50 suggestions to fight what its authors thought of a rising presence of faith in some international locations. Quebec establishments.
Quebec’s 2019 secularism regulation, Invoice 21, banned public sector employees in positions of authority, equivalent to academics and judges, from sporting spiritual symbols at work. Roberge stated Thursday the federal government now needs to go additional by extending the ban to government-subsidized daycare employees, a rule he stated can be per the spirit of Invoice 21.
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He stated the brand new laws will embrace a grandfather clause for individuals already employed in childcare.
Invoice 21 is the topic of a landmark case earlier than the Supreme Court docket of Canada, which is able to focus partially on Quebec authorities use of the however clause to guard laws from constitutional challenges.
Roberge declined to say whether or not Quebec plans to invoke the however clause once more on this newest invoice.
Individually, the federal government has already launched laws to increase the ban on spiritual symbols to all public college staff. And in August, Roberge introduced that he would introduce a invoice to ban prayers in public locations.
Final month, Roberge voted in favor of a proposal to ban facial coverings in public areas always, which was authorized by the Avenir Coalition. Quebec members at a celebration conference in Gatineau, What.
However he wouldn’t affirm Thursday whether or not the federal government plans to take such a step. “The dialogue is ongoing,” he stated.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Oct. 23, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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