Charte des valeurs québécoises – Some articles of interest

Some good articles today on the ongoing controversy about the leaked draft Charte des valeurs québécoises.

First, interview Jocelyn Maclure of Laval University on the appropriate balance between secular government and religious freedom of expression, essentially taking a position similar to the Bouchard-Taylor Commission:

Q&A: Quebec’s religious garb debate intensifies – Canada – CBC News.

A good analysis in La Presse about all the steps the PQ has not taken in preparing its draft and the implications for the debate and positioning, namely need for public consultations, trying to change the vocabulary from laïcité to valeurs, going far beyond Bouchard-Taylor in banning religious symbols for all government employees (not just those in authority), and how opposition parties are lined up (Liberals against, CAQ has yet to pronounce itself officially but appears to have some reserves, Québec solidaire against), and lastly it will be challenged in the courts.

Charte des valeurs québécoises: un chemin semé d’embûches

A good opinion piece by Lionel Perez – Maire de l’arrondissement de Côte-des-Neiges -Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (one of the most diverse areas of Montreal), on the need for an open definition of  laïcité, laïcité inclusive, not the narrow, exclusionary approach of the draft proposal:

La laïcité inclusive est une valeur québécoise

And Martin Patriquin of Macleans on some of the likely effects on employment  opportunities for immigrant and new Canadian women, as well as how the politics are playing out:

Surely you’re not comparing Pauline Marois to Vladimir Putin?