The Parti Quebecois government, already involved in a political battle to toughen the province’s language law, has placed another emotionally charged identity issue on the back burner.
The government has delayed its plan to set limits on religious accommodations until the fall and even begun referring to it in less contentious terms.
The PQ campaigned last year on a promise to introduce a Charter of Secularism, notably aimed at regulating Muslim headwear in public institutions. It is now referring to its plan as a “charter of Quebec values.”
“The equality of men and women, that’s going to be one of the values, equality, extremely important, which we will affirm in this charter of Quebec values,” said Bernard Drainville, the cabinet minister responsible for crafting the policy.
See also “PQ to unveil secular ‘Charter of Quebec Values’ next fall”, Globe & Mail, 22 May 2013