Canada: Quebec bans government employees from wearing religious Garb
Ottawa, June 18 (UNI): Canada's Quebec province bans some government employees from wearing religious symbols at work, prompting an outcry from civil liberties and Muslim groups.
The long-expected legislation, Bill 21, which was passed by 73 to 35 in the predominantly French-speaking province on Sunday, affects public workers in positions of authority, including teachers, judges and police officers, but it exempts current government employees and civil servants, reports Al Jazeera.
For school teachers, only those hired after Mar 28 will not be allowed to wear religious symbols. However, if a teacher hired before Mar 28 wishes to be promoted, he or she would not be allowed to wear any religious symbols.
Governments in Quebec have been trying for years to restrict civil servants from wearing overt religious symbols at work in an effort to cement a secular society.
"Will there be police officers going after people to check if they have religious signs? We don't know. It's not clear," said Sol Zanetti, a member of the National Assembly.
It was not clear how the ban would be enforced.
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