The Charter of Quebec Values () was Bill 60 in the Canadian province of Quebec, introduced by the governing Parti Québécois in 2013 under Premier Pauline Marois, trying to legislate the Quebec controversy on reasonable accommodation. The PQ cabinet member forwarding the bill was Bernard Drainville, Minister responsible for Democratic Institutions and Active Citizenship. Premier Marois also threatened invoking the notwithstanding clause of the Constitution of Canada to pass the Charter in 2013. There was much controversy in Quebec and elsewhere about the charter, especially its proposed prohibition of public sector employees from wearing or displaying conspicuous religious symbols.
The proposal would have included the following provisions: Amend the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms Establish a duty of neutrality and reserve for all state personnel (including state-funded education and health care workers). Limit the wearing of conspicuous religious symbols for said personnel. Make it mandatory to have one's face uncovered when providing or receiving a state service. Establish an implementation policy for state organizations.
The PQ had a minority government; Marois called an early election to obtain a greater vote of confidence. The political objective of the PQ was to foster an alliance between seemingly opposing groups, the traditionalists and the progressives, in order to facilitate the emergence of a new type of majority. The bill died as of the 2014 election, which was won by the Quebec Liberal Party. The Charter of Quebec Values was argued to be a contributing factor in the PQ’s loss of power (although the bill was polled with higher public opinion support than the governing party itself). The Liberals were opposed to the legislation, but party leader Philippe Couillard pledged during the campaign to put forward a less strict set of measures on the reasonable accommodation issue.
Chronology
The proposal was first announced on May 22, 2013. The Charter was officially proposed on September 10, 2013. The bill died on the order paper as of March 5, 2014. During the subsequent election campaign Premier Pauline Marois promised that if elected she would apply the notwithstanding clause to shield the Charter from legal challenges.
Symbols
The most controversial of all provisions seems to be about the restriction of the public sector employees from wearing or displaying conspicuous religious symbols.
According to the bill, relatively discreet items such as a finger ring, earring, or small pendants bearing a religious symbol will be allowed, while more obvious items such as a kippah, turban, hijab, niqāb, and larger crosses and religious pendants would be prohibited.
Elected politicians would be exempt and temporary opt-out provisions have been proposed for universities and hospitals. Furthermore, certain items and customs with an ostensibly religious nature, such as the large crucifix on display in the Quebec National Assembly, and observing Christmas are exempt on the rationale of them reflecting the province's cultural heritage. This has led to the widespread belief that this measure is motivated by an act of ethnocentric hypocrisy.
Reactions
The charter was popular in the beginning, but constant attacks reduced the support occasionally to 50% of the population.
Quebec political parties
In Quebec itself, the provincial Official Opposition, the Quebec Liberal Party, enjoying an increase in support since the announcement of this Charter, declared that it would oppose passing this bill to the point of triggering an election over the issue. Coalition Avenir Québec leader François Legault proposed a compromise with a more limited ban with health care workers and daycare workers exempted.
Former PQ premier Jacques Parizeau did not feel the end of the bill justified its means.