Quebec’s newly sworn-in Parti Québécois (PQ) minority government is facing criticism from religious leaders and civil liberties groups after reaffirming its plan to ban elementary school students from wearing religious symbols.
Education Minister Joël Arseneau described the proposed ban as “non-negotiable” on Wednesday, saying the party intended to fulfil an election commitment to extend the province’s secularism laws.
“We’ll work to get it done,” Arseneau told local media when asked whether the government would proceed with the proposal.
The plan would broaden restrictions introduced under the former Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government, which already prohibit certain public employees, including teachers, from wearing religious symbols such as the hijab, turban and kippah while at work.
The proposed extension to children has prompted strong objections from religious organisations and civil liberties advocates, who argue that it would restrict religious freedom, freedom of expression and equal access to public education.
The Conseil National des Québécois Musulmans (CNQM) said the announcement had raised serious concerns about the rights of religious minorities and the place of religion in Quebec society.
Stephen Brown, chief executive of the organisation, said the proposal risked sending a message to children that they did not fully belong in society.
“That they’re not a member of society,” he said.
“And that they are second-class citizens.”
Brown said the restrictions could affect children who wear religious garments or symbols, including the hijab, turban, kippah and crucifix. He described the proposal as discrimination against religious minorities and warned that his organisation was prepared to challenge the legislation in court if it became law.
Rabbi Lisa Grushcow of Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom also criticised the proposal, questioning why religious clothing should determine whether children are accepted in public schools.
She said parents raising their children in Quebec wanted them to become good citizens and neighbours, but that had little to do with what they wore.
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association also raised concerns. Anaïs Bussières McNicoll said the proposed measure would infringe on freedom of religion and freedom of expression and could be discriminatory.
She questioned whether the PQ government intended to invoke the notwithstanding clause, a constitutional provision previously used by Quebec to shield legislation such as Bill 21 from certain Charter challenges.
Human rights lawyer Julius Grey also expressed concern about the direction of Quebec’s secularism policies, arguing that successive restrictions had increasingly limited individual freedoms.
The opposition party Québec solidaire has said it will vote against the proposed ban. Its education and secularism critic, Roxane Milot, argued that the government should focus on pressing challenges facing schools, including staff shortages, school infrastructure, educational inequality and student dropout rates.
In 2019, the CAQ government introduced Bill 21, which prohibits certain public officials in positions of authority, including teachers, police officers and judges, from wearing religious symbols while performing their duties.
The legislation has faced several legal challenges and is now before the Supreme Court of Canada, with a ruling expected this autumn. Critics argue that it infringes on fundamental rights, while supporters maintain that it protects the religious neutrality of the state.
Quebec has since expanded its secularism framework through further measures, including restrictions affecting daycare workers and school environments. A separate Bill 9 introduced under the previous CAQ government also proposed restrictions on collective religious practices in public spaces and religious symbols in subsidised childcare settings.
The PQ’s proposal to extend the restrictions to elementary school students has renewed concerns about the impact of secularism laws on religious minorities, particularly Muslim, Sikh and Jewish communities.
It remains unclear when the new government intends to introduce the legislation. Quebec’s legislature is scheduled to resume sitting on 17 November.
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