Petition calls on the Federal government to mount a legal challenge to Quebec’s Bill 21

An online petition was launched today asking the federal government to mount a legal challenge to Quebec’s Bill 21.

“Bill 21 is a law in Quebec that bans Muslims who wear the hijab, Jews who wear a Kippah, and Sikhs who wear Turbans from working in several public service jobs,” said the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) in a post on social media as it launched the petition.

“Last week we saw Fatemeh forced out of her position as a teacher because she wears a hijab, and she’s not the only one. This is not ok. Enough is enough.”

Bill 21 was passed in June 2019 and bans the wearing of religious symbols such as hijabs, kippas and turbans by teachers and civil servants in positions of authority.

After initially working as a substitute teacher with the Western Quebec School Board, the teacher, Fatemeh Anvari, says she was asked to apply for a more permanent position teaching a Grade 3 class at Chelsea Elementary School. Anvari began that job earlier this fall, but after just one month she says the school principal told her she had to move to a position outside the classroom because she wears a hijab.

Sign the petition today at www.change.org/defeatbill21 to tell the Prime Minister that he cannot wait on the sidelines any longer.

PETITION

Dear Prime Minister Trudeau,

This week, I’m standing with Fatemeh, a teacher in Chelsea Quebec who was forced out of her position because of Bill 21.

She’s not the only one. And that’s unacceptable.

I am asking you to stand to take action on Bill 21.

Bill 21 is the law in Quebec, Canada that bans individuals wearing religious symbols from working in certain public sector positions. This is a law that doesn’t just affect Muslims.

It affects those wearing a kippah, a turban, a crucifix and of course those that wear hijab.

This means that those who wear the hijab cannot be teachers at a French school, prosecutors, or police officers in the province of Quebec and that is completely unacceptable.

This discriminatory law is nothing less than a law that creates second class citizenship here in Canada. This is not the Canada that we have made our home. It is time that we stand up for each other. We must stand up to protect our rights and freedoms. We must be the voices in the fight to have this discriminatory law repealed and show the rest of the world that this is not something that we are willing to let happen.

I am asking you to commit to intervening - not in the future - but now.

______________________________________________

Monsieur le Premier ministre Trudeau,

Cette semaine, je me tiens aux côtés de Fatemeh, une enseignante de Chelsea, Québec qui a dû quitter son poste à cause de la Loi 21.

Elle n'est pas la seule. Et c'est inacceptable.

Je vous demande de vous engager à prendre des mesures relativement à la Loi 21.

La Loi 21 est la loi au Québec, au Canada, qui interdit aux personnes portant des symboles religieux de travailler dans certains postes du secteur public. C'est une loi qui n’affecte pas que les musulmans.

Elle affecte ceux qui portent un kippah, un turban, un crucifix et bien sûr celles qui portent le hijab.

Cela signifie que celles qui portent le hijab ne peuvent pas être enseignantes dans une école francophone, des procureurs ou des policiers de la province de Québec et c'est tout à fait inacceptable.

Cette loi discriminatoire n'est rien de moins qu'une loi qui génère une citoyenneté de deuxième classe, ici, au Canada. Ce n'est pas le Canada dont nous avons fait notre chez-nous. Il est temps que nous nous soutenons les uns les autres. Nous devons défendre nos droits et nos libertés. Nous devons être les voix dans la lutte pour faire abroger cette loi discriminatoire et montrer au gouvernement et au reste du monde que ce n'est pas quelque chose que nous sommes prêts à laisser passer.

Je vous demande de vous engager à intervenir - non pas à l'avenir - mais maintenant.