Secularism in Quebec (Plain-Language Summary)

Before the Quiet Revolution: A Very Religious Quebec

Before the 1960s, nearly every francophone in Quebec was Catholic.

The Catholic Church was very powerful and controlled many aspects of everyday life. Schools were run by the Church and education reflected Catholic values. Hospitals and social services were also under religious control.

Villages were often named after saints and the church was always the center of the community. Montreal was even nicknamed "the city of a hundred steeples" because of its many churches.

At that time, being Catholic was part of the French-Canadian identity. In 1892, the statesman Thomas Chapais said: "a non-Catholic French Canadian is an anomaly". In 1951, there was one clergyperson (priest, nun, or monk) per 90 Catholics. This shows just how important religion was.

The Quiet Revolution: A Major Change (1960-70)

In the 1960s, everything began to change. This period was called the Quiet Revolution. During this time, Quebec society was modernizing and decided to reduce the influence of the Church.

Women taking more space

Women began demanding more rights and gained more liberties. There were more women in the workplace and divorce became more common. This was an upheaval of traditional values that were often based on religion. (See also Women and the Quiet Revolution.)

The State Replaces the Church

In times past, the Church operated the schools. But in the 1960s, the government decided to take control of education. In 1964, the Ministry of Education was created to manage the schools. Politicians involved in education began to track the needs of a democratic and technological society.

Fewer Religious Practices

Francophone Québécois do not go to church as much. The young generation, called "baby boomers", sometimes mocked priests. It was not that people completely lost their faith but they rather began to choose their beliefs in a more personal way and choices were often made outside of the traditional religious frameworks.

Post-1970: A More Secular Society

After the Quiet Revolution, secularization (that is, the separation of church and state) continued.

In the 1990s, school boards were reorganized according to the teaching language. Instead of being defined by their religious affiliation, school boards are either francophone or anglophone. In 2000, schools ceased being faith-based, that is to say, they were now independent of religion.

Despite everything, some people in Quebec have remained attached to Catholic symbols. For example, there was a crucifix above the chair of the person who presided over the National Assembly. This crucifix was seen by some people as being a part of Quebec history. However, in 2019, to demonstrate the state's secularism, this symbol was removed from the National Assembly chamber and placed elsewhere in the parliament.

Religious Accommodation Crisis

In the 2000s, tensions began to rise. The place of various religions in Quebec society was being debated.

In 2001, a Sikh boy wanted to carry a kirpa (a ceremonial knife) to school. Some people said that this went against policy. After years of debate, the Supreme Court ruled that the student could wear it since it was part of his religion. (See Multani v. Commission scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys (Plain-Language Summary).)

In 2007, these debates led to the creation of the Bouchard-Taylor Commission. This commission consulted people to get their opinion on reasonable accommodations. It recommended that certain people employed by the state (such as judges or policemen) not wear visible religious symbols on the job.

Charter of Values

In November 2013, the Quebec Party proposed a law called the Quebec Charter of Values. This law was intended to show that the state was neutral in regard to religion. It aimed to forbid all persons employed by the state from wearing religious symbols. This measure sparked much debate and criticism.

But this Charter was not adopted. The Quebec Liberal Party, which was against this proposal, won the elections in April 2014. The Liberal Party believed that the Charter created unnecessary conflicts.

Act Respecting the Laicity of the State (Bill 21)

In 2019, Quebec passed an important legislation called Act Respecting the Laicity of the State, also known as Bill 21. This law states that the Province of Quebec is officially secular. Furthermore, it forbids employees of the State in positions of authority from wearing visible religious symbols on the job. This includes hijabs, crosses, and kippas. Employees in positions of authority include, for example, judges and police officers but this law also applies to teachers. However, people already in post before the law was passed can continue to wear religious symbols; this is called "acquired rights".

The law has been highly criticized. Some people say that it excludes religious groups, like women who wear the hijab. Others believe that the law does not go far enough and that religion in public spaces should be completely eliminated.

Quebec continues to evolve in order to find balance between religious diversity and the neutrality of the state.