Secularism police? Aren’t we all, now?
Now that we live in a secular state, the opposition is raising the spectre of secularism police. But the problem isn’t the creation of an actual inspection squad, distasteful though that would be. It’s that some people will now feel vindicated in appointing themselves secularism inspectors, and impose the law beyond even the terms of Bill 21 – like the bus driver last week who decided she wouldn’t stop for a woman in niqab.
Faiz Imam 21:32 on 2019-06-17 Permalink
Like clockwork. A FB snitch group has already been created for the purpose of calling out anyone breaking the new law:
https://twitter.com/xaviercamus1/status/1140759409548824576
mare 23:26 on 2019-06-17 Permalink
And nobody can break the law at the moment since current government employees are grandfathered in. But from now on the government will just hire white people who can hide their Catholic traditions before they step into their office.
Faiz Imam 23:57 on 2019-06-17 Permalink
eh, I don’t think the xenophobia is that explicit, this is focused particularly on Muslim women.
I have a family friend who is one of the most radical religious extremists I know. He’s also a practicing physician in the Montreal area. I would absolutely not trust him on sensitive medical issues, but other than a well trimmed beard, there is nothing about him that stands out. This law does not affect him at all.
At the same time my sister is a hijabi woman and also a wonderfully empathetic and effective social worker. She does not currently live in Quebec, but going forward there is no reason she’ll ever come back.
I say that to demonstrate how ineffective this policy is to actually do what it claims to do.
Anyways, all that is all stuff we’ve covered a dozen times before.
This just sucks, and in the long term it’ll probably be repealed, but it won’t be anytime soon.
jeather 09:34 on 2019-06-18 Permalink
And yet the Sud-Ouest renamed their nice secular solstice party after St-Jean.
Chris 11:20 on 2019-06-18 Permalink
mare, do you really believe that or are you just being hyperbolic?
dwgs 11:37 on 2019-06-18 Permalink
Well Chris it wouldn’t be a major step from what their hiring practices seem to be now.
Chris 12:48 on 2019-06-18 Permalink
dwgs, I disagree, it *would* be a major step. For which there is no evidence that I’m aware of. But they collect statistics on this, so we can see in a few years if indeed “the government will just hire white people”. Or do you figure they’ll forge the stats too?
thomas 13:13 on 2019-06-18 Permalink
Anyone what happens to an employee who “finds religion” during their employee and then dons a religious garment? Would they get fired or be grandfathered as well?
mare 13:55 on 2019-06-18 Permalink
@Chris it was hyperbole but it feels a bit like a law to be able to discriminate “others”. We’ll see what surprises the CAQ will include at the last moment in their immigration bill next weekend.
dwgs 14:22 on 2019-06-18 Permalink
Chris, we don’t have to wait to see what *will* happen, we can just look at what *has* happened.
https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/quebec-needs-hiring-targets-to-increase-diversity-in-workforce-study
I doubt that we will be seeing any widespread changes in hiring policies for the foreseeable future.
Uatu 19:59 on 2019-06-18 Permalink
Too bad about the Solstice fest being renamed. I was looking forward to seeing them setting aflame the human sacrifice trapped within a giant wicker man… 😛
Chris 09:50 on 2019-06-19 Permalink
dwgs, that article says “the presence of cultural communities in the workforce increased” between 2003 and 2017. Let’s see where it goes after Bill 21. I don’t think it’s a forgone conclusion.