In Canada, we cherish the fundamental right to practise and express our religion within our society. People come here on the notion that they may practise their religion without prejudice and express their religion without restrictions. Canada’s reputation for accepting people for what’s in their head not on it is now being put into question. To force someone to choose between their job and livelihood or their religion goes against every value we built our nation on. This reputation is now being put to the test and that very choice is being forced onto people in the province of Quebec. The Bloc Quebecois bill to ban religious wear in the public sector is immoral, hypocritical and unconstitutional.
To have a law tell you that to be able to continue to work and make a living for your family; you will have to drop your belief and faith is immoral. Canada as a country prides itself as a nation of acceptance and multiculturalism and has a worldwide reputation for it. That is why many people of all backgrounds come to Canada to be able to be able to enjoy in the pleasures of proper freedoms and democracy. We live in a mainly white, Christian society and these strangers enter with a different look and belief system. By enforcing this law we’d be telling them, either look like us or get out. This goes against every value Canadians pride themselves on. The bill will also force people to choose between their job and religion. This pits individual’s traditions and culture against having to make a living for them and their family to survive. This ridiculous and divisive law clashes people’s traditions and religion against peoples way of life. To introduce this bill would be the most hypocritical bill any government could make. The bill bans any religious symbols in any public job, site or building. Yet in the Quebec National Assembly, their provincial legislative, where this bill was made; stands a gigantic cross. You cannot demand people to leave their faith out of the workplace but make an exception because it’s part of Quebec culture. The government which wants separation of religion and state, houses the largest religious symbol in the province. There is also a hypocritical exemption which states small crosses are allowed in the work force, while a total ban of turbans, kippas and hijabs. To allow one religion to express themselves while forcing the other to hide theirs is the ultimate hypocritical law any government can produce in a democratic state. The constant double standards and exceptions show why this bill is hypocritical and stands for inequality. Any law that impedes on a citizens universal right to freely practise or express their religion, which is protected under the charter of rights and freedom, is entirely unconstitutional. The Canadian