Quebec City (WNews): The Province of Quebec passed a controversial ban of a religious symbol for people working for the provincial government and public sector.

The ban would include all symbols of the major religions in the world including Christian cross, Muslim clothing and other symbols

The Coalition Avenir Quebec legislation would affect elementary and high school teachers, Crown prosecutors, police officers, prison guards and judges, among others. Immigration, Diversity and Inclusiveness Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette said Bill 21 is an affirmation of Quebec’s distinctiveness and its decades-long drive to separate church and state.

The bill directly affects religious minorities such as Muslims and Sikhs, who will be prohibited from openly displaying their faith and working in what the government considers positions of authority. Jolin-Barrette said for the Quebec state to be truly secular, it cannot employ people who exercise authority while wearing religious symbols.

The bill according to critics is a violation of the Freedom and Rights especially Section 2(a) and (b). The government has also invoked Section 33 of the Canadian Freedom and Rights which allows provincial governments to temporarily override the constitution.

Charter of Freedom and Rights Section 33 | Not Withstanding Clause

33. (1) Parliament or the legislature of a province may expressly declare in an Act of Parliament or of the legislature, as the case may be, that the Act or a provision thereof shall operate notwithstanding a provision included in section 2 or sections 7 to 15 of this Charter.

(2) An Act or a provision of an Act in respect of which a declaration made under this section is in effect shall have such operation as it would have but for the provision of this Charter referred to in the declaration.

(3) A declaration made under subsection (1) shall cease to have effect five years after it comes into force or on such earlier date as may be specified in the declaration.

(4) Parliament or the legislature of a province may re-enact a declaration made under subsection (1).

(5) Subsection (3) applies in respect of a re-enactment made under subsection (4).

Some people have praised the new bills for separation of church and state. The Mayor of Montreal Valérie Plante has come out against the bill over the violations of individual rights.

“I am very worried by the message we’re sending with this bill,” she said on Thursday, hours after the proposed legislation was tabled

Sound off below, do you agree with this new bill? Do you think it’s gone too far