The Quebec government tabled legislation Thursday to prohibit public sector employees in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols at work.
The law affects teachers, judges, police officers, prison guards, Crown prosecutors and other public servants in positions of authority. But it contains a provision permitting current employees in those positions to continue wearing religious symbols.
"Canada, and indeed Quebec, are places where we are a secular society, we respect deeply people's rights and freedoms, including freedom of expression, freedom of conscience, freedom of religion," Trudeau said. But the bill contains provisions to shield it from court challenge. It declares that it will have affect "notwithstanding" protections in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and "despite" protections in the provincial Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms.
The crucifix has hung above the Speaker's chair in the national assembly since 1936, and the Legault government said last October it would not remove it because it is an important part of the province's heritage.
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