The debate over religious pluralism in Quebec

Recent immigration has brought a new religious pluralism to Canada, including Quebec. Yet the two societies have reacted to this development in very different ways. To explain the debate in Quebec over this development two historical factors need to be taken into account.

Stressing integration of immigrants

Quebec, a linguistic minority on the North American continent, defends its collective identity against the cultural power of the English language, especially in Montreal. At the same time, a high percentage of immigrants who come to Quebec prefer to become part of the anglophone world of North America.

To protect Quebec's cultural identity, the provincial government made a law obliging immigrants to send their children to francophone schools. The government has rejected the federal policy of multi-culturalism. Its own policy of 'inter-culturalism' fosters interaction between and the gradual convergence of the host culture and the cultural communities to promote active citizenship of all with an accent on the integration of immigrants.

Resentment against the Catholic Church

The second factor to consider is the rapid secularization of Quebec. Since the Quiet Revolution, Quebec has become the most secular of the Canadian provinces. Although the Catholic Church lost its power to influence government and control the public culture, resentment against the church and religion in general is dominant. There is, for example, wide approval of the government's decision of 2005 to secularize the formerly Catholic and Protestant school commissions. Curiously enough, when filling out census forms, Quebecers still call themselves Catholic.

The resentment against their own Catholic past makes many Quebecers react negatively to the religious signs and symbols used by recent immigrants, especially by Muslims. Since the reasonable accommodations made to respect the religious customs of new citizens were controversial, the government appointed a commission, chaired by the sociologist Gérard Bouchard (an independentist) and the philosopher Charles Taylor (a federalist), to study the issue and make recommendations.

The Bouchard-Taylor Commission

The Commission recommended freedom in the area of religion, generosity on the part of the majority to make room for special religious practices, and reasonable accommodations to respond to people's religious needs. At the same time, the Commission recognized equality between men and women as an essential value of Quebec society that newcomers must learn to embrace.

The Bouchard-Taylor Commission insisted on la laïcité of the State; the application of a principle that calls for separation between State and Church/religion. The ideological understanding of la laïcité regards the secular interpretation of the world as the one truth and tolerates religion simply as a private cultural choice. The pragmatic understanding of la laïcité emphasizes that, for reasons of justice, the State may not privilege any one religion. The Commission accepted the pragmatic interpretation, thus recommending that the sphere of the State must be free of religious symbols. The crucifix, for example, in the provincial parliament can no longer be justified, nor should the highest representatives of the State, members of parliaments and judges, be permitted to wear religious symbols that signify their faith. But apart from this highest sphere, there must be the freedom to wear visible religious signs.

The Bouchard-Taylor Commission has been severely criticized in Quebec and has generated vigorous debate over how society should respond to the new pluralism. Some Quebecers demand more emphasis on Quebec's need to defend its collective identity, and some argue that no one employed by the State should be allowed to wear religious garb. There are even voices that express dislike for immigrants and others that entertain ugly prejudices.

Supporting Bouchard-Taylor are those who emphasize Quebec's pluralistic character, appreciate the new pluralism as an enrichment of society, and regret the sense of insecurity the debate has created among many recent immigrants.

Largely following the Commission, Quebec's Liberal government on March 24th introduced a law that bans women from wearing the niqab when working in a public office or receiving services from a public office. Premier Jean Charest made the intent of the bill clear at the press conference: "Say three words to them: Uncover your face." This has added fuel to the larger debate.

Le Centre justice et foi

At le Centre justice et foi we are not happy with the present debate. We are more troubled by the war in Afghanistan than by people's religious customs. The founder of the Centre, Julien Harvey, SJ, a passionate nationalist, always insisted that justice is more important than nation. In present-day Quebec we do not address society with Christian words. If we did, the mass media and the opinion-makers would overlook our point of view. But we do speak to the present debate as Christians. The human suffering produced by unemployment and poverty, by prejudices against people of colour, by inadequate schooling and the plight of public healthcare are issues of greater urgency than the issue of religious pluralism.

We support the Bouchard-Taylor Commission's defense of freedom, pluralism, reasonable accommodations, and the pragmatic understanding of la laïcité. But we differ from the Commission by our greater concern for Quebec's cultural identity. We hold that a nation conscious of its history has the capacity to welcome newcomers and together with them create an identity that is respectful of the past and at the same time open to diversity. We recognise the great contribution made by recent immigrants to this francophone society on various levels. We therefore find ourselves disagreeing with public statements emphasizing Quebec's identity that do not appreciate pluralism or that express prejudice against religion.

Gregory Baum is professor emeritus of theology at McGill University, and a collaborator at Montreal's Centre justice et foi, a Jesuitinspired education and information group which publishes the magazine, Relations.