Thread by @ToulasTake

I’m tired of Quebec politicians pretending that legal challenges to #Bill21 or the assertion that it’s discriminatory legislation are de facto #Quebec bashing. That implies that a) there’s unanimity in Qc regarding Bill 21 (there most certainly isn’t) & b) sidesteps that the

Qc gov’t recognized that its discriminatory by using the notwithstanding clause & preemptively shielding it from a legal challenge precisely because it violates both Qc & Cdn Charters of Rights & Freedoms. Saying a Qc law is discriminatory isn’t akin to saying Qc is racist.

Whether Bill 21 supporters want to acknowledge it or not, the END RESULT of this law is discrimination & marginalization. Judge Blanchard said as much in his recent ruling & there’s a reason it’s going to the Supreme Court. In a free and democratic society people have the right

to legally challenge legislation that violates our Charters. If you support the use of the notwithstanding clause you can’t object to the use of the Supreme Court as a recourse. You can’t pick and choose which parts of our legal system you get to like.

That being said, there are legitimate reasons why some ppl support Bill 21. Just assuming it’s based on racism is reductive. I don’t support it because, ultimately, I think laws that marginalize & prevent ppl from fully integrating & belonging in society are counterproductive.

Also, this isn’t true secularism. Secularism is about neutrality of the state, not the state imposing its beliefs (essentially anti-religion in Qc’s case) on its citizens. And it certainly does’t promote gender equality by preventing Muslim women who wear the hijab from working.

Those are valid reasons for not supporting it. All this to say, ppl have a right to question this legislation & they need to respect proper legal challenges on it without allowing politicians/pundits to hijack these important conversations just to rally up support 4 their base.

For a question on Bill 21 to be an attack on Quebec EVERYONE in Qc would have to support Bill 21. We don’t. For an attack on Blanchet to be an attack on all of #Quebec, Blanchet would have to represent ALL Quebecers. He doesn’t, he represents the Bloc. Ppl should remember that.