The Quebec government says it will ban religious symbols in the province’s daycare centres.
Secularism Minister Jean-François Roberge says there is a “broad consensus” that Quebecers want secularism to be strengthened.
The announcement follows a recommendation made this summer by a committee tasked with advising the province on how to enhance secularism. The committee had called for the ban to be extended to daycares.
Quebec has already banned public sector workers in positions of authority, such as teachers and judges, from wearing religious symbols on the job.


The problem with this ban is what constitutes “religion”, and what symbols are included.
People show their culture. It has historically not worked very well to suppress culture.
Employees can cover them up while working.
What places are you even talking about? But yeah, if you daycare has a “Saint Joseph” room it should probably be renamed.
Don’t put up religious holiday decorations.
Doesn’t seem that complicated.
I’m obviously talking about face and neck tattoos.
Have you been to Québec? La place est completement basee sur l’eglise catholique. Si on commence avec les symboles, qu’est-ce qui arrete Roberge de monter une croisade d’annihilation de toute association religieuse? C’est pas mal ce qu’il veut.
Yeah, that’ll fly.
Look, I’m French Canadian, and I’m all for not having religion involved in professional decisions, but people are human. They show culture. Previous attempts at this kind of “purism” by prohibition have failed for this reason.
That seems like fear mongering.
Incorrect. You said you were curious to know, I’m telling you what the concerns are.
It is very difficult to describe the boundaries of culture, and therefore difficult to enforce evenly across the board.
Culture is built into more than just symbols worn on the body. If Quebec were truly trying for secularism, there wouldn’t be a day off for Easter or Christmas.
This is an attempt at some form of Quebecois “purism”, same as banning signs in English.
Names of places aren’t a real issue, and the other two are protected by freedom of expression.
Tattoos are prohibited by multiple religions, especially the one that would be offened by this legislation.
I notice you didn’t include the religious holidays.
I don’t care about religious holidays. Like at all.
I don’t celebrate, like at all and I think they are a concession that should be removed.
Edit: you also didn’t ask about religious holidays, nice goal post shift.