Mayor William Steinberg: Premier Pauline Marois

Premier Pauline Marois: The message? Whoever we may be Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Jews we wont be denied our constitutionally protected religious identities because Premier Pauline Marois and her Parti Qu b cois need a wedge issue to carry into the next election. The pushback to Bill 60, put before the National Assembly this week , has begun, according to The Star. As drafted, Bill 60 is even harsher than advertised. It prohibits judges, police, bureaucrats, teachers, doctors, nurses and others on the public payroll from wearing conspicuous religious gear such as Muslim head scarves, Sikh turbans, large crosses and Jewish kippas while on the job. But it also extends to private sector workers on contract to government. It takes aim at Muslim, Jewish and other dietary practices, even in daycare centres. And it offers fewer opt-out provisions than expected and Has it come to this? Municipal employees in upscale Hampstead, in Montreal, have never been known to wear their religious beliefs on their sleeves. But Mayor William Steinberg tells the Montreal Gazette that some want to start sporting banned religious symbols if Bill 60, Quebecs odious charter of state secularism, becomes law. Marois has split Quebecers with her cynically divisive gambit to enshrine secularism in government affairs, managing to alienate even fellow nationalists. Past PQ premiers Jacques Parizeau and Lucien Bouchard, both iconic figures, have denounced it as a small-minded attack on minorities. And Fran oise David of the Qu bec Solidaire party is disgusted. As a sovereigntist I think this is a sad day, because people are being told, Our sovereignty project, well, its not an inclusive project , she says. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.