Conservative Leader Erin O鈥橳oole maintains that Quebec鈥檚 controversial secularism law is a provincial debate, after a Quebec elementary school teacher was recently removed from the classroom for wearing a hijab.
O鈥橳oole said while he鈥檚 personally against Bill 21, which prohibits certain government employees from donning religious symbols at work, he respects provincial autonomy.
The Western Quebec School Board has confirmed that a Grade 3 teacher at Chelsea Elementary School in Chelsea, Que., .
Parents of Grade 3 students at the school received an email on Friday, Dec. 3 letting them know the teacher would no longer be in the classroom. Some parents later learned the teacher was removed because of Bill 21.
Parents have been placing green ribbons on a fence outside the school in support of the teacher.
The Conservative leader faced a flurry of questions on the matter Thursday morning but doubled down on his position that he most recently shared along the federal election campaign trail.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 agree with the secular tenets of Bill 21 but it is a question for Quebec to decide and I do think we have to make sure that everyone is respectful and respected in these discussions,鈥� he said.
鈥淲hat I鈥檝e tried to do is talk to the premier about my personal views and also then try and find areas of common cause where we can work together.鈥�
He added that if elected as prime minister, he would not introduce legislation comparable to Bill 21 at a federal level and that he would be a leader for all Canadians.
鈥淩egardless of what day of the week you may worship or if you don鈥檛 have a faith at all, whatever your cultural background, your race, your creed, you鈥檙e welcome in our party,鈥� he said.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has stated that he disagrees with the law, which came into effect in June 2019, but hasn鈥檛 gone so far as to call it discriminatory. He also indicated that he鈥檚 keeping the door open to a court challenge of Bill 21 at a later date.
Heading into question period on Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland avoided weighing in on the incident specifically, but said the prime minister has been 鈥渧ery clear鈥� about the party鈥檚 stance.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has, on the other hand, dubbed Bill 21 discriminatory but won鈥檛 commit to federal intervention if elected prime minister.
Singh on Thursday said the incident at the Chelsea school is 鈥渆xactly why鈥� he鈥檚 opposed to the law.
鈥淭here were no concerns about her capacity and ability to teach. No concerns about whether she鈥檚 providing good education to kids. Simply because of the way she looked and the way she dressed, she is no longer able to teach those kids,鈥� he said, adding that the incident also hits close to home for him personally.
鈥淚 know what that鈥檚 like, to feel like you don鈥檛 belong because of the way you look, and to not be able to do what you love because of the way you look, that鈥檚 what鈥檚 happening right now.鈥�
Asked again whether the Trudeau government should elevate the case to federal court, Singh said only that the provincial challenge already underway is 鈥渢he right thing.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 important that laws that are unjust in provinces are challenged in those provinces,鈥� he said.
In an interview with 麻豆影视 Ottawa, Western Quebec School Board interim chair Wayne Daly said the board removed the teacher from the classroom once the human resources department was made aware of the situation.
All principals at schools within the board received a memo outlining the law and instructing them to "take it into consideration when you're hiring teachers," said Daly.
Daly says the board told the Quebec government that it "categorically stated our opposition to Bill 21 from the basic human rights perspective," adding the law is "unethical."
The Western Quebec School Board says the teacher will remain employed with the school in "another function," but would not release further details.
With files from 麻豆影视 Ottawa鈥檚 Jeremie Charron and Josh Pringle
