Quebec Liberals poised to introduce their version of a values charter

If you thought the end of the Parti Quebecois government meant the end of the divisive debate about Quebec's Values' Charter, you were sorely mistaken.

According to the Montreal Gazette's Don McPherson, Philippe Couillard's Liberal government is poised introduce their own version of the controversial bill that would legislate religious accommodations.

"The current edition of L’actualité magazine quotes...Couillard saying on election night that he wanted to adopt secularism legislation 'rapidly'," McPherson wrote.

"After Justice Minister Stéphanie Vallée was sworn in, she told reporters she would introduce the legislation 'as soon as possible.'"

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In January 2014, the then-opposition Liberals spelled-out their position ahead of the anticipated election.

As explained by CBC News, Couillard — in January — said that he was for the crucifix in the national assembly, for banning the chador, niquab and burqa for female employees in the public sector but against a ban on turbans, kippas and hijabs for most civil servants.

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If the Liberals ultimately do decide to move forward with those policies, they can expect a battle from Quebec's Muslim communities according to Salam Elmenyawi, head of the Muslim Council of Montreal.

"If they introduce the charter...we will fight it all the way to the Supreme Court," Elmenyawi told Yahoo Canada News in a telephone interview on Thursday afternoon, noting that his community won't accept any ban on face coverings for people or give or receive services from the government.

"The idea for them to define the difference between hijabs and chador and niquab is none the politicians business. We have it in our constitution: the freedom of religion, freedom of expression, and the freedom of conscious. And therefore we will make sure that those will be respected."

Elmenyawi — whose group was at the forefront of the fight against the PQ's charter — says that he's confident that such a values charter will not survive a court challenge. He cited a news story, from earlier this week which suggested that, despite statements to the contrary, the PQ didn't obtain a full opinion about the legality of their charter.

"The government cannot just keep attacking [minority groups]," he said.

The values charter debate — take two?

(Photo courtesy of The Canadian Press)

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