431-00266 (Civil and human rights)
- Keywords
- Federal-provincial-territorial relations
- Freedom of conscience and religion
- Province of Quebec
- Secularism
Original language of petition: Bilingual
Petition to the House of Commons
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:
Whereas the province of Quebec has passed An Act respecting the laicity of the State ("Bill 21"), that restricts the wearing of religious symbols; and;
Whereas our federation is built on a diverse community, where many Canadians wear religious symbols including turbans, hijabs, kippas, crosses and many other symbols; and
Whereas the fundamental right of religious freedom is enshrined in the Canadian Constitution; and
Whereas national civil rights groups, including: the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, the National Council of Canadian Muslims, B'nai Brith Canada, the World Sikh Organization, the Canadian Bar Association, Amnesty International, and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs have condemned the legislation's infringement on Canadians' rights; and
Whereas the federal government bears a responsibility to stand up in defence of the Canadian multicultural mosaic;
We the undersigned therefore, urge the House of Commons to formally denounce Bill 21.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable David Lametti
The position of the Government of Canada is clear and well known. Some Quebecers have initiated legal proceedings to defend their rights. The legal process is working as it should, and we are monitoring the matter closely.
- Presented to the House of Commons
-
Garnett Genuis
(Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan)
June 16, 2020 (Petition No. 431-00266) - Government response tabled
- September 24, 2020
Only validated signatures are counted towards the total number of signatures.
Petitions identical to 431-00266 (Civil and human rights)
Identical Petition | Presenter | Date of Presentation | Signatures |
---|---|---|---|
431-00266 | Garnett Genuis | June 16, 2020 | 30 |
431-00049 | Jasraj Singh Hallan | January 31, 2020 | 38 |
431-00037 | Garnett Genuis | January 27, 2020 | 78 |
Total signatures | 146 |