Organizations reacting to the proposed Quebec Charter of Values
If you want to know more on the proposed Quebec Charter of Values, we’ve gathered a series of links to organizations making statements, petitions or protests concerning the Charter of Values at the bottom of this Note.
We also recommend anyone wishing to consider this further to read the government documents made available online at http://www.nosvaleurs.gouv.qc.ca/en.
You can also read Bill 60 at the bottom of this page.
Updated: February 13 2014
Click for More on the Charter of Values
General Information
Here is the government’s proposed charter, Bill P-60
Wikipedia’s page explaining the Charter in English and French:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_Charter_of_Values
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charte_des_valeurs_qu%C3%A9b%C3%A9coises
COCo Note about discussing the charter in your organization:
http://www.coco-net.org
COCo Interview for CKUT Off The Hour (starting at 8:00 up until 17:30)
http://archives.ckut.ca/64/20140207.17.00-18.00.mp3
Pearl Eliadis wrote an article to help read Bill 60. It outlines Article 10’s implications for applying the charter to Community Organizations.
https://pearleliadis.wordpress.com/2013/11/07/a-guide-to-the-charterofvalues-overview-commentary-assnat-polqc-qcpoli/
Institut du Nouveau Monde (INM) have created an web-based reference document on the Charter:
http://www.inm.qc.ca/charte/presentation
FRENCH: Presentation to the National assembly by the Table des regroupements provinciaux d’organismes communautaires et bénévoles (TRPOCB)
http://www.assnat.qc.ca/fr/video-audio/AudioVideo-49609.html
FRENCH: Toi, Moi, La Charte is an online interactive video experience to hear opinions diverging from your own:
http://charte.onf.ca/
FRENCH: General consultation and public hearings on Bill 60:
http://www.assnat.qc.ca/en/travaux-parlementaires/commissions/CI/mandats/Mandat-24537/index.html
FRENCH: Press clippings discussing the charter in the fall of 2013
http://www.pressegauche.org/spip.php?article15059
Events
Grassroots orgs have called to wear conspicuous religious symbols to work on Monday 13 January:
FRENCH: 1 November – Several groups call to protest the Charter:
TeachIN on resisting the charter:
http://www.coco-net.org
FRENCH: 20 October – Endorsed by: No One Is Illegal-Montreal, Solidarity Across Borders, the People’s Commission Network, QPIRG Concordia.
http://nooneisillegal-montreal.blogspot.ca/2013/09/manifestation-ensemble-contre-les.html
FRENCH: The Centre pour Justice et Foi Organized an evening on the charter, Thursday October 10 2013, 7pm to 9:30pm
http://www.cjf.qc.ca/fr/infolettre_cjf/infolettre_cjf.php?idn=57&cle=8g38ckzct9vxjkr8mppt
FRENCH: 29 September Protest – Endorsed by a variety of community and religious groups under the name Rassemblement des citoyens et citoyennes engagé(e)s pour un Québec ouvert
SPOKESPEOPLE: EDDY PEREZ, BENJAMIN PRUD’HOMME and RIM MOHSEN
http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1232855/rassemblement-des-citoyens-et-citoyennes-engage-e-s-pour-un-quebec-ouvert
Statements
The Withdraw Bill 60 Movement is on Facebook: “In lieu of so may demands for withdrawal of Bill 60, a number of individuals from multiple communities across Quebec have launched a campaign calling for withdrawal of Bill 60:”
https://www.facebook.com/
Amnesty International “questions the means by which the Quebec government is attempting to strengthen these rights [equality for all, against discrimination].”
http://www.amnesty.ca/news/news-releases/charter-of-quebec-values-prohibiting-all-government-employees-from-wearing-conspi
FRENCH: AQESSS – L’Association québécoise des établissements de santé et de services sociaux
http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/sante/201310/01/01-4695162-signes-religieux-aucun-probleme-significatif-vecu-dans-les-hopitaux.php
FRENCH: CDÉACF centre de documentation
published this document by Mélissa Lessard (Des Centres de Femme Du Quebec) – October 2nd
http://www.cdeacf.ca/actualite/2013/10/02/intolerance-violence-racisme-augmentation-suite-charte
Centre for Israel Jewish Affairs (CIJA)-Quebec:
http://www.cija.ca/community-partners/quebec/cija-quebec-urges-community-to-participate-in-sundays-demonstration-against-charter-of-quebec-values/
FRENCH: Centre pour Justice et Foi
http://www.cjf.qc.ca/userfiles/file/Accueil_CJF/Sept-2013/CJF_projet-de-Charte-des-valeurs.pdf
FRENCH: Collectif Contre La Charte
http://www.pressegauche.org/spip.php?article15006
FRENCH: The Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse believes that several parts of the Charter contravene Québec’s Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms and infringe fundamental rights and freedoms.
http://www.cdpdj.qc.ca/en/medias/Pages/Communique.aspx?showItem=593
Concordia University has published a statement against the Charter:
http://www.concordia.ca/about/administration-governance/president/joint-statement.html
FRENCH: The Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN), representing about 200,000 of Quebec’s 600,000 public-sector employees, has come out against the ban imposed by the Charter:
http://www.csn.qc.ca/web/csn/communique/-/ap/Comm12-12-2013?p_p_state=maximized#.UrIbtifx7TA
FRENCH: Gérard Bouchard of the Bouchard-Taylor Commission has written a letter denouncing the Charter:
Idle No More Quebec has weighed in against the Charter:
http://www.idlenomore.ca/idle_no_more_weighs_in_on_quebec_s_proposed_charter_of_values
FRENCH: The Jewish General Hospital has denounced the Charter as discriminatory and will not follow it:
FRENCH: L’Association des juristes progressistes (AJP) dénonce vivement et s’oppose catégoriquement.
http://ajpquebec.org/?p=709
FRENCH: L’Association québécoise des centres de la petite enfance (AQCPE)
http://www.aqcpe.com/nouvelles/charte-des-valeurs-quebecoises-laqcpe-consulte-ses-membres/
FRENCH: La Ligue des droits et libertés (LDL)
http://liguedesdroits.ca/wp-content/fichiers/communique_10_09_2013.pdf
FRENCH: La Fédération des femmes du Québec (FFQ)
http://www.ffq.qc.ca/2013/09/charte-des-valeurs-quebecoises-premiere/
FRENCH: L’R Des Centres des Femmes du Quebec issued a statement
http://www.rcentres.qc.ca/public/2013/10/intolerance-violence-et-racisme-en-augmentation-suite-a-la-charte-des-valeurs.html
FRENCH: The Minister of Education has made a statement asking for a study on the Charter’s effects on education:
FRENCH: Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes réfugiées et immigrantes (TCRI)
http://www.tcri.qc.ca/
La Table des regroupements provinciaux d’organismes communautaires et bénévoles is taking a stance on the Charter MemoireCharteLaiciteFTable
Many groups have signed this statement through QPIRG Concordia: http://www.qpirgconcordia.org/?p=4687
The Quebec Community Groups Network passed a resolution condemning the Charter of Values:
http://www.qcgn.ca/storage/website-resources/policy/identity-charter/Message%20Dan.pdf
FRENCH: UQAM thinks the charter should not apply to universities.
http://www.ledevoir.com/societe/education/394302/au-tour-de-l-uqam-de-rejeter-la-charte
FRENCH: Over 100 Professors at Université de Montréal signed a letter opposing the Charter.
http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/national/201312/09/01-4719212-cent-universitaires-contre-la-charte-des-valeurs.php
Voice of English Quebec has declined taking a definite position because 75% of its members are against the Charter while 20% are in favour:
Petitions
QCGN recommends organizations and individuals sign this petition against the Charter:
http://quebecinclusif.org/manifeste-2/english/
Pro-Charter Links
The Mouvement Laïque Québecois has a nuanced and critical position on the charter, but is overall in favor.
http://www.mlq.qc.ca/2013/10/la-laicite-au-quebec-un-debar-pour-lavenir-reaction-du-mlq-au-projet-de-charte-du-gouvernement/
FRENCH: 30 November – The feminist group Janette held a rally in favour of the Charter
Coalition Laïcité Québec has a petition for the Charter:
http://www.laicitequebec.org/