Quebec’s Bill 21 and the promise we make to children

This month, the Supreme Court will hear arguments about why this law should be struck down as unconstitutional. This case is significant due to Quebec’s use of the notwithstanding clauses, before any court ruling, to override fundamental rights and freedoms
Bill 21 became law under François Legault’s Coalition Avenir Québec government in 2019. While framed as a measure to ensure state secularism, its impact is neither neutral nor evenly distributed, writes Harini Sivalingam.

When we tell children they can grow up to be anything, teachers, doctors, police officers, leaders in their communities, we are making them a promise. We are delivering an unconditional promise that hard work and talent matter and that nothing should stand in the way of what...

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