IJV congratulates Québec Solidaire for embracing an inclusive Québec

March 30, 2019

Quebec City—At a historic meeting of Québec Solidaire’s National  
Council this weekend, delegates voted overwhelmingly to break with the  
outdated recommendations of Bouchard-Taylor. Instead they favoured  
“Option B” which places no limitations on employment for wearing  
religious symbols. This policy decision puts Québec Solidaire in  
compliance with important tenants of universal human rights and  
freedoms to which Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) adheres. These  
rights include guarantees to dignity, security, justice and gainful  
employment.

“We wish to congratulate Québec Solidaire members for their vigorous  
internal discussion and the final decision to reject any policy that  
would limit Quebecers’ rights based on the personal expression of  
religion, culture or self-expression,” said Fabienne Presentey, Québec  
spokesperson for Independent Jewish Voices. “We feel now is the time  
to reinforce the positive inclusionary history of Québec.”
While discussion around a ban on religious symbols has been very  
theoretical, IJV points out that Muslims and those perceived to be  
Muslim would be the most impacted, with Muslim women suffering the  
most.  IJV opposition to state-sanctioned dress code is therefore  
upholding both a basic democratic principle and taking a pragmatic  
stance against the rising tide of Islamophobia.

The Québec Solidaire vote follows in the wake of the Coalition Avenir  
Québec (CAQ) government’s promise to implement a religious symbol ban  
that goes even further than the rejected proposals of Bouchard-Taylor.  
In it, the CAQ vows to use the notwithstanding clause to block the  
hiring of people in religious garb from both positions of authority  
and certain service providers, including teachers, and principals. Yet  
IJV remains optimistic.

“In the shadow of the CAQ’s disappointing gift to far-right groups,  
the vision of a free and open Québec put forward by Québec Solidaire  
offers a path forward for all citizens who reject the politics of  
division,” said Presentey. “We encourage all political parties to  
follow the same approach.”

Fabienne Presentey, Québec spokesperson, Independent Jewish Voices,  
fpresentey1@yahoo.fr

For more information about IJV, contact:
Corey Balsam, National Coordinator, Independent Jewish Voices Canada,  
corey@ijvcanada.org, 514-437-2940

Independent Jewish Voices Canada (IJV) is a non-partisan grassroots  
organization grounded in Jewish tradition that advocates for a just  
peace in Israel-Palestine and social justice at home. IJV has active  
chapters in most major cities and on university campuses across  
Canada, including Québec.