MONTREAL — Today the Court of Appeal has issued a disappointing decision rejecting the constitutional challenge to Bill 21. This ruling represents a painful setback in our ongoing fight against discrimination, in that it fails to put an end to the Quebec government’s ongoing undermining of the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals within our society.
Bill 21 is a discriminatory piece of legislation that targets individuals based on their religious beliefs. Since Bill 21 came into force, religious minorities have faced increased marginalization and exclusion in Quebec. The discriminatory impact of Bill 21 on the rights and freedoms of a wide range of public sector employers will continue to have harmful impacts. In this context, the Court’s decision represents a significant setback in the fight against discrimination and injustice.
“This is a heart-wrenching day and highlights the urgent need for people across Quebec who have stood up for the values of equality, justice and freedom to continue to raise their voices,” says Noa Mendelsohn Aviv, Executive Director abd General Counsel of Canadian Civil Liberties Association. “These values are the ones that fuel our legal challenge and that lie at the heart of our collective struggle against Bill 21.”
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association, together with our litigation partners the National Council of Canadian Muslims and Ichrak Nour El Hak, a courageous young Muslim teacher, will be reading the decision closely in the coming days to determine our next steps to continue our challenge of Bill 21. We are committed to pursuing all necessary legal avenues available, including seeking leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada.
We would like to take the opportunity to thank our pro bono counsel David Grossman, Catherine Mackenzie, Olga Redko and Lea Charbonneau from IMK.
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About the Canadian Civil Liberties Association
The CCLA is an independent, non-profit organization with supporters from across the country. Founded in 1964, the CCLA is a national human rights organization committed to defending the rights, dignity, safety, and freedoms of all people in Canada.
Media Contact:
media@ccla.org
Alex Nanoff – 613.709.6318 (FR)
David Valentin – 514.913.5524 (EN)
About the Canadian Civil Liberties Association
The CCLA is an independent, non-profit organization with supporters from across the country. Founded in 1964, the CCLA is a national human rights organization committed to defending the rights, dignity, safety, and freedoms of all people in Canada.
For the Media
For further comments, please contact us at media@ccla.org.
