Quebec Charter of Values

Not to be confused with Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms.

Bill 60
Quebec National Assembly
  • "Charter affirming the values of State secularism and religious neutrality and the equality between women and men, and providing a framework for accommodation requests"
CitationBill 60
Territorial extentProvince of Quebec

The Charter of Quebec Values (French: Charte de la laïcité or Charte des valeurs québécoises) was Bill 60 in the Canadian province of Quebec, introduced by the governing Parti Québécois in 2013 under Premier Pauline Marois, trying to legislate the Quebec controversy on reasonable accommodation. The PQ cabinet member forwarding the bill was Bernard Drainville, Minister responsible for Democratic Institutions and Active Citizenship.[1] Premier Marois also threatened invoking the notwithstanding clause of the Constitution of Canada to pass the Charter in 2013.[2] There was much controversy in Quebec and elsewhere about the charter, especially its proposed prohibition of public sector employees from wearing or displaying conspicuous religious symbols.[3]

The proposal would have included the following provisions:

  • Amend the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms
  • Establish a duty of neutrality and reserve for all state personnel (including state-funded education and health care workers).
  • Limit the wearing of conspicuous religious symbols for said personnel.
  • Make it mandatory to have one's face uncovered when providing or receiving a state service.
  • Establish an implementation policy for state organizations.

The PQ had a minority government; Marois called an early election to obtain a greater vote of confidence.[4] The political objective of the PQ was to foster an alliance between seemingly opposing groups, the traditionalists and the progressives, in order to facilitate the emergence of a new type of majority.[5] The bill died as of the 2014 election,[6] which was won by the Quebec Liberal Party. The Charter of Quebec Values was argued to be a contributing factor in the PQ’s loss of power (although the bill was polled with higher public opinion support than the governing party itself).[7] The Liberals were opposed to the legislation, but party leader Philippe Couillard pledged during the campaign to put forward a less strict set of measures on the reasonable accommodation issue.[8]

  1. ^ "Bernard Drainville - National Assembly of Québec".
  2. ^ "The political strategy behind Quebec's values charter | CBC News".
  3. ^ Fine, Sean (14 September 2013). "Is Quebec's secular charter constitutional? Nine legal experts weigh in - The Globe and Mail". The Globe and Mail.
  4. ^ Dick, Hannah (4 October 2018). "New premier, same old story: Québec's longtime anti-niqab efforts". The Conversation. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  5. ^ Bernier Arcand, Philippe (November 16, 2013). "Quebec's 'identity anxiety' gives rise to a new majority". The Gazette. p. B7.
  6. ^ "Couillard should bury the Charter of Values - The Globe and Mail". The Globe and Mail. 20 April 2014.
  7. ^ "Barbara Kay: 'Values' return to Quebec in more sensible Liberal version | National Post". Archived from the original on September 18, 2014. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  8. ^ "Quebec Liberals won 'without too much effort', Legault says". CTV News, April 8, 2014.