Quebec Proposes To Legislate Secularism Of The State

The Quebec government has tabled Bill 60, commonly referred to as the "charter of values" (Charter).¹ If adopted, it would prohibit all public sector employees, and some employees in the private sector who provide services to the public sector, from wearing any clothing or other sign that conspicuously indicates a religious affiliation.

The Charter's broad reach

The Charter would apply to all the following bodies (this list is not exhaustive):

• all government departments
• all bodies whose personnel are appointed by the government
• most government agencies
• most health and social service agencies
• municipalities
• transit authorities
• school boards
• daycares that receive government subsidies