Quebec Charter of Values

The PQ cabinet member forwarding the bill was Bernard Drainville, Minister responsible for Democratic Institutions and Active Citizenship.

[2] There was much controversy in Quebec and elsewhere about the charter, especially its proposed prohibition of public sector employees from wearing or displaying conspicuous religious symbols.

[3] The proposal would have included the following provisions: The PQ had a minority government; Marois called an early election to obtain a greater vote of confidence.

[4] The political objective of the PQ was to foster an alliance between seemingly opposing groups, the traditionalists and the progressives, in order to facilitate the emergence of a new type of majority.

The Charter of Quebec Values was argued to be a contributing factor in the PQ’s loss of power (although the bill was polled with higher public opinion support than the governing party itself).

[7] The Liberals were opposed to the legislation, but party leader Philippe Couillard pledged during the campaign to put forward a less strict set of measures on the reasonable accommodation issue.

[9] The most controversial of all provisions seems to be about the restriction of the public sector employees from wearing or displaying conspicuous religious symbols.

Furthermore, certain items and customs with an ostensibly religious nature, such as the large crucifix on display in the Quebec National Assembly, and observing Christmas are exempt on the rationale of them reflecting the province's cultural heritage.

[19] Member of Parliament Maria Mourani was expelled from the Bloc Québécois for complaining that the proposed Charter is an act of political opportunism over human rights.

[24] The president of the Mouvement laïque québécois, Lucie Jobin, wrote that she "is delighted that secularism is registered on it - it is a public value of social cohesion - but we express many reservations.