French Universities Reject Quebec’s “Racist” Charter

MONTREAL — Two Frenchlanguageuniversities are voicingcriticism of Quebec’s secularcharter amid signs of a growingrevolt against the PartiQuébécois government’s controversialbill, reported Globeand Mail newspaper.The University of Montreal andUniversity of Sherbrooke areboth taking their distances fromBill 60, the government legislationthat would ban religioussymbols for public employees,Le Devoir reports Tuesday.The two universities joinstaunch opposition to the billfrom Quebec’s English-languageeducational institutions.McGill University has expressedits disapproval of the charter,and this week the EnglishMontreal School Board said itwould refuse to apply it if itbecame law.The school board says the charterviolates its fundamental valuesof tolerance and respect forindividual rights.University of Montreal rectorGuy Breton says his universityhas not yet formally taken aposition against the charter, butit sees the initiative as unnecessary.He told Radio-Canada thatthere have been no problemsrelated to religious diversity atthe university in about 20 years.“We are obliged to say at thispoint that the bill doesn’t correspondto our needs,” Bretonsaid.The university already supportsthe goal of religious neutralityand “we don’t need additionalconstraints at this point.”The rector of the University ofSherbrooke told Le Devoir thatthe Charter could not beapplied. Under to the government’sbill, symbols such as turbans,headscarves and kippaswould be forbidden for employeesin the civil service as well asin hospitals, schools and publiclyfunded daycares.“It’s not a good idea to do thisand it is precisely the role ofuniversities to confront theseideas,” the rector, LuceSamoisette, told the newspaper.The bill is also causing furthercracks in the sovereignty movement.Former Bloc Québécoisleader Gilles Duceppe said thisweek the PQ government’s proposedheadgear ban goes too far and should be limited to peoplein positions of authority, such asjudges and police officers. Hejoined three former PQ premiers– Jacques Parizeau, LucienBouchard and Bernard Landry –who have already criticized thePQ’s project.Montreal’s newly elected citycouncil has also refused to backthe Charter, voting unanimouslylast week for “inclusive secularism”that reflects a modernMontreal and Quebec. It wasthe second time Montreal’scouncil voted in favour of themotion.Courtesy Globe and Mail