On the morning the draft Charte will be revealed, the usual round-up of articles. While it appears the main direction has not changed – banning religious signs in all government-funded workplaces, implementation periods and renewal derogations will be allowed. Another layer of bureaucracy, another way to keep the politique identitaire a public issue, and another way for Quebec to avoid coming to terms with diversity, interculturalisme, and expressions of faith. And sad that the government is not going back to the more nuanced and moderate laïcité ouverte of the Bouchard-Taylor Commission.
However, delaying implementation of a bad law does not make it good.
Charte des valeurs québécoises – À peine connue, déjà contestée | Le Devoir.
Le mieux et le bien
Parti Québécois to unveil secular charter Tuesday
And a naive article on the implications for Charter challenges:
Vers des exceptions à la Charte des valeurs
And divisions among the membership of one of the teacher’s unions, the Fédération autonome de l’enseignement (FAE), not surprising but illustrative of Québec public opinion:
Laïcité – La position de la FAE décriée
An opinion piece by Lucia Ferretti, largely favourable to the proposed approach, and noting how embedded religion is in society, whether the schooling system in Québec (government-financed faith-based schools unlike Ontario, NGOs). He neglects the human rights element of freedom of religion, which includes, of course, Catholics in Québec, whether secularized or traditional, whether progressive or traditional (like other religions):
Charte des valeurs québécoises – Séparation oui, neutralité, non
And a good piece by Bruce Anderson on how motives, and how they are perceived, can help a policy initiative sink or swim:
Bruce Anderson: For Marois’s charter, voters will judge the motives
And some good profiles in the Globe from a range of Québécois:
Five Quebeckers weigh in on the proposed secular charter
Sheema Khan reinforces her ongoing message:
Institutions should reflect local best practices, where discourse, debate and inclusion of stakeholders set the tone. Currently, most Muslim institutions are replicas of their foreign counterparts, with a top-down approach in which the voices of women and youth are often absent.
We need intelligent, dispassionate discussions of how Western principles, such as gender equality, freedom of conscience, freedom of expression and critical inquiry, meld with overarching Islamic principles.
Civic engagement will also be paramount for future integration, as Muslims participate in wider policy issues, such as the environment, energy security, aboriginal self-assertion and, yes, Quebec identity.
In classical Islamic thought, the overriding principle of the faith was understood to be mercy. It was manifest by the intent to do good to others, to bring benefit to the wider society and to prevent harm. It is a principle worth resurrecting as Muslims establish roots here.
Reconciling Muslim practices with Western principles
Multicultural Meanderings 