Organized Jewish Community Calls for Withdrawal of Bill 60

MONTREAL, Dec. 20, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - Federation CJA and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs-Quebec (CIJA-Quebec) filed a brief today on behalf of the organized Jewish community of Quebec regarding Bill 60, with the aim of participating in the public consultations slated to begin on January 14^th.

Federation CJA and CIJA-Quebec are convinced that Bill 60 is a bad solution to a non-existent problem. While no empirical studies have been used to demonstrate a decline in the secularism or religious neutrality of the state, the Government is proposing serious restrictions to fundamental freedoms by banning the wearing of religious symbols in the public and para-public service, and possibly even in the private sector.

These provisions clearly violate the fundamental freedom of religion protected by the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Federation CJA and CIJA-Quebec call for the withdrawal of Bill 60, which proposes to replace the successful Quebec model of secularism in effect since the Quiet Revolution with a new and discriminatory framework. This framework marginalizes individuals of minority faiths by undermining the principle of state religious neutrality.

SOURCE: Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs

David Ouellette
Associate Director, Public Affairs (Québec)
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs
514-294-4420