ESTABLISHING THE RELIGIOUS
NEUTRALITY OF THE STATE
The state has an obligation to be neutral, which is an essential condition to ensure freedom of conscience and religion.
The best way to respect everyone’s beliefs is for the state to remain neutral and have no religion. This principle promotes pluralism by ensuring fair and equal treatment of all beliefs.
Affirming
values
Quebec
Contributions by Quebecers of all origins have enabled us to build an open society that shares fundamental values. These values defining Québec society and constituting a form of social contract are, among others, equality between women and men, religious neutrality of Québec’s public institutions, and recognition of a common historic heritage.
By affirming these values, we are proposing to build a strong Québec identity, whether one was born here or elsewhere.
Quebec politician proposes government ban on religious headwear
The proposal, which would forbid public employees from wearing hijabs and turbans, will be introduced for debate later this year
Tuesday 10 September 2013
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/10/canada-proposed-religious-headwear-ban
Religious ornaments that could be worn by public employees under the proposal. Photograph: Quebec government website www.nosvaleurs.gouv.qc.ca
Quebec is proposing a law that would forbid government workers from wearing religious headwear such as hijabs, turbans, and kippas.
The separatist Parti Québécois government said Tuesday the so-called "values charter" will be introduced for debate later this year.
The plan has revived a debate in Quebec over religious accommodation and has been widely criticized in the rest of Canada.
Bernard Drainville, the minister responsible for the proposal, says the goal is to ensure the complete neutrality of the state on religion.
The ban would apply to every public worker, including teachers and police. It would not apply to elected officials because people have a right to choose their representative, Drainville said.
Smaller religious symbols, such as a Christian cross on a necklace or the Star of David on a ring, will be allowed.
The federal government has said it will seek the advice of the Department of Justice and suggested it could go to court if the proposal violates fundamental rights.
Examples of 'ostentatious' religious headwear that would be banned for public employees under the proposal. Photograph: Quebec government website/nosvaleurs.gouv.qc.ca
==================
Read related article against religious giant statue in Montreal
BOYCOTT Oratory of Saint Joseph! CANDLES to giant Zeus statues of St. Joseph & Brother Andre CANNOT PROTECT CHILDREN from CSC PEDOPHILES read - http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/
http://www.vice.com/en_ca/
I decided to call up this topless protester to talk about this week’s action at the National Assembly and her take on the Quebec Charter of Values.
Praying topless is all the rage ia Facebook.
We were charged with nudity, indecent exposure and disrupting public order. According to the criminal code, I don’t think we are going to be formally accused of anything because we can contest that our body can be used as a political tribune. When we were there, even the security agents seemed to understand our action better than anybody else. You could see it in their eyes.
Politicians have reacted saying people should completely dismiss it. They want to keep their eyes shut. There’s been a media storm surrounding this story and now people are talking about it. That’s the goal of Femen, to get people’s attention. We use methods that are extremely crude. Nowadays, to get a message across and break through the constant flow of information, we need to go hard. Then we have to work to explain the meaning behind our performance.
We decided to focus on the crucifix. Ever since the debate over the Quebec Charter of Values has sprung, there seems to have been a great lack of coherence. The crucifix is inside the parliament, a place synonymous with neutrality. The government wants the state to be neutral. If the government is not willing to compromise, there is no reason why individuals from different religions should be willing to compromise on their religious affiliations. The charter brings along a complete incomprehension between “old stock” Quebecers and immigrants.
In previous demonstrations, we have criticized the fact that the crucifix was put in place by Maurice Duplessisin 1936. It represents a seal between the state and the Roman Catholic Church. This seems a bit ridiculous. The National Assembly existed before 1936, which means that it was able to operate without the crucifix. It seems like they’re trying really hard to justify this so-called “cultural heritage.” Why would this symbol dominate all the other ones? This is the question we are asking. Femen is against religious institutions, we are basically fighting religions. Feminism and religion don’t quite seem to get along. Every religion has oppressed at one point or another and continues to oppress women.
Read related article against religious giant statue in Montreal
BOYCOTT Oratory of Saint Joseph! CANDLES to giant Zeus statues of St. Joseph & Brother Andre CANNOT PROTECT CHILDREN from CSC PEDOPHILES read - http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/
Brother Andre's Chapel at Oratory of St. Joseph
The ladies of Femen Quebec https://www.facebook.com/http://www.vice.com/en_ca/
Chatting with Femen Quebec about Nudity, the Crucifix, and the Charter of Values
Quebec’s mind-numbingly boring legislative National Assembly was recently treated to a lot more toplessness than the usual Jesus Christ—who is known for hanging out on the cross at the front of the room with his shirt off—when three women stormed the parliamentry proceedings, ripped off their shirtsand yelled out “Crucifix, décalisse” or “Crucifix, get the fuck out,”for those of you not familiar with sacrilegious Quebecois slang.
As you’ve probably figured out by now, the three women are members of the controversial feminist movement Femen. This time, the women went topless to protest the presence of the crucifix inside the National Assembly in contrast to the supposed “religious neutrality” of the controversial Quebec Charter of Values.
One of the spokespeople for Femen Quebec, which is the first active Femen branch in all of North America, is Ukrainian-born, Northern-Quebec-raised Xenia Chernyshova.This event marked the first time in the history of Femen where members were able to enter and protest inside a parliament building, but this isn’t Xenia’s first time making history with her politically involved breasts.
Xenia was part of a small group of women, alongside Inna Shevchenko, who chainsawed a four-meter high wooden crucifix in Kiev, as the Moscow court was about to release the verdict on the Pussy Riot case.
Praying topless is all the rage ia Facebook.
VICE: Hi Xenia. First off, I want to ask you what consequences are you and the other girls facing right now?
We were charged with nudity, indecent exposure and disrupting public order. According to the criminal code, I don’t think we are going to be formally accused of anything because we can contest that our body can be used as a political tribune. When we were there, even the security agents seemed to understand our action better than anybody else. You could see it in their eyes.
What has been the impact so far of your action at the National Assembly?
Politicians have reacted saying people should completely dismiss it. They want to keep their eyes shut. There’s been a media storm surrounding this story and now people are talking about it. That’s the goal of Femen, to get people’s attention. We use methods that are extremely crude. Nowadays, to get a message across and break through the constant flow of information, we need to go hard. Then we have to work to explain the meaning behind our performance.
Let’s get to that. Why did you choose to show up and protest bare-chested at the National Assembly?
We decided to focus on the crucifix. Ever since the debate over the Quebec Charter of Values has sprung, there seems to have been a great lack of coherence. The crucifix is inside the parliament, a place synonymous with neutrality. The government wants the state to be neutral. If the government is not willing to compromise, there is no reason why individuals from different religions should be willing to compromise on their religious affiliations. The charter brings along a complete incomprehension between “old stock” Quebecers and immigrants.
Would you say the government is being hypocritical by saying that the crucifix inside the Assembly is part of our “cultural heritage”?
In previous demonstrations, we have criticized the fact that the crucifix was put in place by Maurice Duplessisin 1936. It represents a seal between the state and the Roman Catholic Church. This seems a bit ridiculous. The National Assembly existed before 1936, which means that it was able to operate without the crucifix. It seems like they’re trying really hard to justify this so-called “cultural heritage.” Why would this symbol dominate all the other ones? This is the question we are asking. Femen is against religious institutions, we are basically fighting religions. Feminism and religion don’t quite seem to get along. Every religion has oppressed at one point or another and continues to oppress women.
Aucun commentaire:
Publier un commentaire