It is with great disappointment that the Catholic Bishops of Quebec learned today of the adoption of Bill 9 on strengthening secularism. Convinced that the State is already secular and that existing legislation has been more than sufficient to regulate religious practices in the public sphere, the bishops regret that their concerns were not heard by the government.
From the moment Bill 9 was introduced, the bishops expressed their concerns regarding measures that limit fundamental rights without compelling justification. They took an active part in the consultation process, advocating for an open and collaborative approach to secularism that takes into account the realities of all faith communities. They submitted a brief containing nine recommendations and participated in the public hearings on February 4. Despite these efforts, none of the amendments proposed by the bishops were adopted.
In these circumstances, earlier this week the bishops called for the withdrawal of Bill 9 and invited Quebecers to sign a petition to that effect on the website of the National Assembly.
In their view, the analysis presented in their brief submitted to the parliamentary committee last February remains entirely relevant. The brief can be consulted online.