Religious signifiers: minister temporizes

The CAQ education minister now says there was no request made to school commissions for a head count of teachers wearing religious signifiers. Jean-François Roberge says he only asked whether such a count existed and, if so, he would like to see it. It’s a fine point. Catherine Harel-Bourdon, who heads Quebec’s biggest board, says it’s an aberrant request and that the board could be sued for discrimination if it carried out such a count, but the CSDM, like other boards, must be aware that this is just a first move in the game, and that the government has many options for leverage if it doesn’t get what it wants. After all, the CAQ has been blunt in its intention to abolish school boards completely.

Les Perreaux in the Globe and Mail has some choice quotes from immigration minister Simon Jolin-Barrette saying the CAQ bill intended to fire any teacher wearing such signs will go forward, and telling Ms Harel-Bourdon to calm down. (Can’t find that wording in French, though.) (Later update: Perreaux tells me on Twitter it was “on se calme.”)

In other school board news, the EMSB seems to be embroiled in an internecine fight with its own chairperson, Angela Mancini. Not a great time for any board to be displaying how chaotic it is.