Religious-Symbols Ban in Quebec Draws Sharp Rebuke From Trudeau
- Proposed law covers teachers, policemen, other public servants
- French-Canadian province invokes constitutional override
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Police officers, teachers and public prosecutors will be barred from wearing head scarves, crosses and other religious symbols under a proposed Quebec law that revives a fraught debate in Canada.
The state secularism bill introduced Thursday targets public servants “in positions of authority” while exempting existing employees. It drew harsh criticism from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau but will likely pass easily under Premier Francois Legault, who won a majority government in the largely French-speaking province after campaigning on the issue last fall.