3 publishers · first seen Thu, 29 Oct 2026 15:37 UTC · updated Thu, 29 Oct 2026 18:39 UTC
Quebec's new education minister, Joël Arseneau, has confirmed the Parti Québécois government will implement a ban on religious symbols for elementary school students, stating the plan is non-negotiable. The move fulfills an election promise to extend the province's secularism laws, which already prohibit public sector employees, including teachers, from wearing religious symbols. Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon defended the measure, comparing it to school uniforms and强调ing that schools should be spaces where children are not divided by religion.
The government has not announced when it will introduce legislation. The National Council of Canadian Muslims and its Quebec branch have criticized the proposal, saying it raises concerns about religious freedom, equal access to education, and the place of religious minorities. School officials have also warned the policy could damage relations with families and lead some parents to withdraw their children from school.
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