THUNDER BAY – The City of Thunder Bay will join a growing list of Canadian municipalities voicing their opposition to Quebec’s Bill 21.
A recommendation to take the stand from the city’s anti-racism and respect advisory committee was unanimously approved by city council Monday.
The provincial legislation prohibits public servants including teachers, police officers, and judges from wearing religious symbols like hijabs, kippas, and turbans on the job.
Mayor Bill Mauro endorsed the motion, calling on the federal government to do what it could to oppose Bill 21 in court – something it has opted not to do since the bill was introduced in 2019.
“The movement is to see what’s possible and encourage the federal government at least to take this on and challenge the decision made by Quebec that’s in direct contradiction of the human rights code,” Mauro said.
Mauro last year supported a call led by Mayor Patrick Brown of Brampton at the Ontario Big City Mayors (OBCM) to condemn the bill.
The anti-racism and respect committee unanimously recommended taking further steps. Chair Jason Veltri said the bill clearly violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and hence should worry all Canadians.
There was no movement at council to contribute funds to a legal challenge launched by the National Council of Canadian Muslims, the World Sikh Organization of Canada, and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, something Veltri had hoped to see.
Cities like Toronto, Brampton, London, and Victoria have contributed to that cause. Thunder Bay will join others including Winnipeg, Calgary, Montreal in voicing its symbolic disapproval.
That will take the form of a letter urging the federal government to challenge Bill 21 in court. The city will also call on the Canadian Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities, of which it is a member, to create a nationwide campaign against the bill.
A motion approving those actions was passed unanimously with support from Couns. Aiello, Bentz, Foulds, Hamilton, Johnson, Oliver, You, and Mayor Mauro. All other councillors were absent Monday.
The support isn’t necessarily welcome inside Quebec, even by opponents of Bill 21. Mayor Valerie Plante of Montreal is among those to say the intervention of English-speaking cities could be less than helpful.
Bill 21 was passed in 2019, but has sparked renewed public debate after a teacher in Chelsea, Que., was reassigned due to her hijab late last year.
