New debate around the crucifix in the Salon bleu

Photo from the archives, Stevens LeBlanc

Patrick Bellerose

Thursday, 19 October 2017 17:54

UPDATE
Thursday, 19 October 2017 17:56

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After having adopted the draft law on religious neutrality, the elected members of the national Assembly are asking questions now about the removal of the crucifix in the Salon bleu.

Québec solidaire has introduced on Thursday a motion that “the question of the displacement of the crucifix” to be discussed within the Office of the national Assembly (NSS), a kind of board of directors of the parliament in Quebec city.

The proposal, to debate it received the support of the PQ, the CAQ, as well as independent deputies Claude Surprising and Martine Ouellet. The liberal government has not indicated its position, but the motion back on the floor of the blue Room next Tuesday.

For the spokesperson of Québec solidaire, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, the national Assembly should be “exemplary in the level of secularism”. “We have a duty of consistency”, he adds regarding the adoption of the bill 62 Wednesday, which requires religious neutrality in interactions with the State.

Debate behind closed doors

If the motion is adopted, the idea to remove the crucifix will be debated at the NSS, where the three parties officially represented, shall take decisions relating to the management of the national Assembly by consensus.

Québec solidaire, which does not have enough elected to be a recognized party, may exceptionally participate in the discussions.

However, the deliberations of the BAN are not public, and the decision to remove the crucifix might be taken without debate at the blue Room.

Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois said that he would have preferred an exercise transparent, but his proposal to integrate the removal of the crucifix in the bill 62 was rejected.

Lively discussion

Moreover, the four parties are far from a consensus. Québec solidaire is in favour of a “displacement” of the crucifix, which would be exposed otherwise for its heritage character.

The PQ, to him, is cautious. “We are in favour of the discussion of the BAN and, during the discussion, we will promote the removal of the crucifix”, said the spokesman of the parti québecois in the field of secularism, Agnès Maltais. She said that a pq government would not settle the crucifix without consensus.

For its part, the CAQ wants to the maintenance of the crucifix, for reasons of heritage, but says it is open to discussion.

For its part, the liberal government wants to discuss the issue in caucus next Tuesday before taking a position.