The Quebec Court of Appeal has recently upheld Bill 21, a contentious law that imposes restrictions on certain public officials from displaying religious symbols while carrying out their official duties. This follows multiple legal challenges and ongoing debates around the law since it was first introduced in June 2019.
The court also passed judgment on the law’s application to English-language schools. The previous exemption that would have allowed these schools to hire teachers who wear religious symbols was removed. According to the court, this amendment does not infringe upon the rights of Anglophone students to receive education in their minority language.
One exemption that still holds is for members of the National Assembly, setting them apart from other public officials who are bound by the law.
The Quebec government, under the leadership of Premier François Legault, initiated this legal fight by opposing the lower court’s decision in 2021. Although this previous ruling upheld most aspects of Bill 21, it included an exemption for English-language schools, creating what the government viewed as an unfair disparity between Francophone and Anglophone educational institutions.
A written statement by Federal Justice Minister Arif Virani indicated that there could be further legal challenges to the law.
- “I expect the parties will seek leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada. If leave is granted, it becomes, by definition, a national issue. Our government will be there to defend the Charter
before the Supreme Court of Canada. This case touches on fundamental freedoms and rights and interpretation and application of the Charter. We are firmly committed to engage in these important
national discussions that have broad implications for all Canadians”, says Virani’s statement.
On a related note, both the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the National Council of Canadian Muslims have expressed their intent to take this case to the Supreme Court of Canada.
This is a developing story and more information can be found on the original article.