Should religious symbols be banned for workplaces in Quebec - Essay Example

During this time, the Catholic Church was granted en seigneurie zones of land covering about 30% of the lands that the French Crown granted in New France (Dickson and Young 16). Due to influences from France and the religious fervor during the Counter-Reformation, Quebec was mainly religious and women joined the Roman Catholic nuns in large numbers. The 1944 election saw Maurice Dupress ascend as the premier of Quebec. He was known for his strong opposition to intellectuals, modernizers and trade unions.

Due to his beliefs and policies, the period he ruled became known as the Great Darkness (La Grande Noirceur) (Courville 49). During his rule under the Union Nationale party, the society of Quebec was culturally close minded and Catholic doctrine and morality defined the way of life for most people. In 1960, the Union Nationale party lost the election to Jean Lesage’s Liberal Party who stood under the slogan “it’s time for change”, thus sparking The Quiet Revolution (Courville 72). This period was marked by social and political transformation where Quebecois national identify took the center stage from secularism.

The late 1960 also saw a gain in momentum of Quebec separatism with Rene Levesque forming the Mouvement Souverainete-Association. Bureaucracy in the government of Quebec saw a growth in friction between English-speaking Canada and Quebec. In 1968, the Parti Quebecois was formed when different separatist force joined into one under the leadership of Rene Levesque (Dickinson and Young 57). The party gained popular vote, increasing from 8% in 1966 to 30% in 1973. From 1970 to 2000, the people of Quebec grew in confidence and sought to find their path.

This was a time in which people were angry at the yoke placed on them by the church. People stopped attending churches, women started leaving their convents and every form of authority was put under a microscope The Charter of Values is officially referred to as Bill 60 (Charter affirming the values of State secularism and religious neutrality and the equality between women and men, and providing a framework for accommodation requests) (Edmiston 1). The charter proposes provisions to revise the Quebec Charter of human Rights and Freedoms, institute an obligation of reserve and neutrality for all employees of the state including healthcare personnel and teachers, limit wearing of religious paraphernalia for government personnel and ensure that all people have their face uncovered when giving and receiving service from the state (Gagnon 1).

Items prohibited include niqab, hijab, turban, kippah and other large pendants denoting a specific religion. Small pendants such as rings and earrings that are discrete will not be affected. This prohibition will affect all personnel of the state such as teachers, nurses, doctors, police and firefighters, secretaries in government offices, public daycare employees and politicians holding government offices (Edmiston 1). Parti Quebecois proposed the charter of values to solve the controversy on reasonable accommodation in Quebec.

Reasonable accommodation describes the modification that does not cause unjustified burden, to ensure that minority groups enjoy the same freedom and right as the mainstream population in cases where it is necessary (Gagnon 2). The charter was proposed mainly to promote