“The Law on State Secularism not only authorizes you to remove any religious symbols from civic space, but, in its spirit, encourages you to do so. Any other decision would go against the foundations of secularism on which this law is based and which require respect for religious neutrality “in fact and in appearance”, argues its president, Daniel Baril, in a letter addressed to the mayor of Quebec whose The Sun got a copy.
The Quebec Secular Movement, founded in 1981, presents itself as a militant group “in favor of freedom of conscience” and for the complete secularization of the State and public institutions of Quebec.
Others have done it
In its missive sent to Mayor Bruno Marchand and dated January 3, the organization asks Quebec to imitate Montreal and the National Assembly in particular by removing the crucifix still hanging in the public assembly room of city hall.
A “judicious” decision based on “religious neutrality”, “respect for the convictions of all and out of “concern for inclusion”, defends Mr. Baril.
The question surrounding the presence of a crucifix at Quebec City Hall resurfaced in mid-December, during the last municipal council in 2024. In writing, a citizen questioned its relevance in this democratic forum and s questioned the possibility of it being moved “to a neutral location so as not to give the impression that the City has a bias towards Catholicism”.
Municipal councilor David Weiser, responsible for the living together file on the executive committee, then responded that an opinion from the Advisory Commission for an Inclusive City would be requested.
Regardless of the opinion that the Advisory Commission will issue, the Quebec Secular Movement invites Mayor Marchand to consider that “the principles of inclusion and diversity must take into account all convictions in matters of religion”.
“In other words, true inclusion of all citizens requires complete religious neutrality in fact and appearance of all public institutions.”
-— Daniel Baril, president of the Quebec Secular Movement
“Neutrality in fact and in appearance, you will agree, therefore requires the removal of any removable religious symbol since the presence of such symbols necessarily has an exclusionary effect for a significant part of the population,” explains Mr. Baril.
Former mayor Régis Labeaume had already had to comment on the debate in the past and had positioned himself in favor of the preservation of what he considered to be a heritage symbol. In 2013, Mr. Labeaume indicated his intention to “keep” him. “We leave the heritage there,” he declared.
The Quebec Secular Movement believes that the crucifix “is not only a religious symbol, but a confessional religious symbol specific to Christianity and in this case associated more particularly with Catholicism.”
“The so-called heritage character cannot therefore be a criterion justifying the maintenance of this object of worship”, in the eyes of the group.
The crucifix has hung on the wall of the council room since the construction of Quebec City Hall in 1896.
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