Religious neutrality: the opposition is concerned about

Archival Photo Didier Debuschère
The minister of Justice Stéphanie Vallée argued last week its intent to subject the elected officials to draft bill 62 on religious neutrality.

Kathryne Lamontagne

Thursday, 24 August, 2017 10:18

UPDATE
Thursday, 24 August, 2017 10:36

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An elected official who refuses to meet with representatives of a sect, would be contrary to the religious neutrality advocated by the liberal government, has denounced the opposition.

• ON THE SAME SUBJECT: The PQ wants to debate face covered

The minister Stéphanie Vallée has argued for the last week its intent to subject the elected officials to draft bill 62 on religious neutrality.

The pq’s Agnès Maltais quickly raised concern about the scope of this amendment. She confessed without embarrassment, have already refused in the past to meet the Raelians, or the Church of scientology, which it describes as ” sects.” “Not to make “, she said Thursday, during a detailed study of the legislative document.

The minister Stéphanie Vallée has confirmed her fear : decline an interview, is “based solely on the basis of religion” would go against the concept of religious neutrality as advocated by the liberal government. “The goal is not to promote or discriminate against a person based on his religion,” she said.

The deputies, however, are the masters of their own agenda and may not accept the meetings ” for other reasons “, such as the purpose of the meeting, for example. “There are people that are not encountered because of their purpose, their aggressiveness, said later the minister in an interview. If the person holds about violent or hateful, it is quite justifiable not to meet this one person. “

Clarity requested

Nothing to reassure Ms. Maltese, who is concerned about the impacts on political freedom, speech and action of members. “[The law] is currently not only unenforceable, the minister doesn’t understand it. She did not see that coming it, pleaded the pq in point of press. I say that it has not searched her bill and that she has not seen impact “.

The concern is the same as that for the CAQ, ” It’s going very, very far on the freedom of action of members of parliament. I find it troubling, ” said the mna Nathalie Roy, who does not intend to be prosecuted if she refused to meet with an extremist religious.

Québec solidaire urges that clarification of the law. “There is improvisation, has launched Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois. We, what we demand, the first thing, it is clarification. It is hard to want to judge a bill when it is as vague and as pin hay. “

The minister Valley defends

For the minister Valley, however, the proposed amendment is very clear. “This is not complicated, the principle of religious neutrality, she summary. Me, I consider that it does not affect our support of an elected official, than respect it and treat citizens fairly. “

The debate surrounding this amendment has been suspended.