Quebec minister in hot seat over charter of values – Montreal – CBC News

Missed this debate between the Minister in charge of selling the Charter, and the philosopher and academic, Gérard Bouchard, who actually has thought considerably about these issues during his long career and his work on the Bouchard-Taylor commission. Quote:

“We took a meticulous look at the practice of accommodations and concluded it was going well,” he said. “You launched yourself into this operation in ignorance of the reality.”

Bouchard repeatedly asked Drainville what studies the government had done to determine that there was a need to restrict its employees’ religious freedoms.

Drainville replied that he had heard from “representatives of teachers, school boards, people working in the health sector” and other employers who didn’t know how to deal with their workers’ requests for religious accommodations and who implored the province to bring in limits.

Quebec minister in hot seat over charter of values – Montreal – CBC News.

In other words, anecdote, not evidence.

And naturally enough, the “battle” of the demonstrations starts (smaller than the one the previous week protesting the Charter):

Manifestation en faveur de la Charte des valeurs à Montréal

And a nuanced analysis of what makes Muslim Canadians wear the hijab, noting the wide variety of practices and beliefs within the community, and that wearing a hijab does not mean that it has been forced by male relatives. Quote:

D’une génération à l’autre, l’islam est souvent vécu de façon différente. « Certaines femmes [plus âgées] ont porté le voile par tradition. Les jeunes sont beaucoup plus dans une recherche spirituelle. On s’approprie la religion et on en fait quelque chose d’individuel. »

Port du voile – Les motifs derrière les apparences