Ford urged to press Quebec on religious symbols ban

NDP say premier should ‘speak up to Legault,’ as Quebec does to Ontario

Opposition parties are keeping pressure on Premier Doug Ford to flag concerns about Quebec’s Bill 21 when he meets with counterpart François Legault.

The two premiers will get together Friday, just days after Ontario MPPs from all parties passed a motion condemning the legislation as discriminatory for banning some public servants from wearing religious symbols on the job.

“It doesn’t sound like he’s going to raise it,” New Democrat MPP Peter Tabuns (TorontoDanforth) said Wednesday after Ford dodged a question on the issue in the legislature’s daily question period. Government House Leader Paul Calandra suggested the unanimous vote Monday on the NDP motion is as far as the matter will go.

“We’re not going to play politics on this,” he said. “The

House has spoken clearly, and I think that message has gotten through.” The non-binding motion called on Ford to formally request Quebec’s premier “immediately” repeal the law that took effect last June and commits Ontario to join any challenge of Bill 21 to the Supreme Court by seeking intervener status.

Ford was not present for the debate and vote in which MPPs from all parties spoke against Bill 21 as a barrier to freedom of religion.

Interim Liberal Leader John

Fraser urged Ford to “take it one step further.”

“The will of the people was spoken in this legislature and he should make sure the premier of Quebec hears that. It’s up to him. He’s going to see him face to face.”

Tabuns said Quebec was not shy last fall as the PCs took aim at francophones in a cost-cutting move .

“When Doug Ford cancelled the French language commissioner and the French language university the government of Quebec wasn’t quiet about this.

They said this was really bad news, that this showed a lot of respect and discrimination for the francophone community,” Tabuns added.

“It’s the other way now. He has every right and responsibility to speak up to Legault.”

Bill 21 bans public sector workers in “positions of authority” from wearing turbans, kippahs, hijabs and other religious symbols at work. Legault has invoked the charter of rights’ notwithstanding clause in a bid to protect the law from court challenges.