17.16°C Vancouver

Mar 20, 2025 4:10 PM - The Canadian Press

Quebec to table new bill to strengthen secularism in schools

Share On
quebec-to-table-new-bill-to-strengthen-secularism-in-schools
The government is planning to update Quebec's Education Act following a controversy over reports of religious practices at several of the province's public schools.(Photo: The Canadian Press)

The Quebec government will table new legislation today to strengthen secularism in the province's schools.

Education Minister Bernard Drainville says that religious accommodations have no place in Quebec schools, and that science, sex education and gender equality must be taught properly.

The government is planning to update Quebec's Education Act following a controversy over reports of religious practices at several of the province's public schools.

Drainville says he was "stunned" to learn about the situation at Bedford elementary school in Montreal, after a government report last fall documented a toxic climate created by a group of teachers.

The government has since investigated more than a dozen other schools over allegations they were violating Quebec's secularism rules.

Drainville has promised new legislation for months, and has suggested he could extend Quebec's religious symbols ban to school staff.

Latest news

one-person-critically-injured-in-road-rage-incident-in-north-vancouver
BCOct 06, 2025

One person critically injured in road rage incident in North Vancouver

RCMP in North Vancouver say a person suffered critical injuries in a road rage incident this weekend. Mounties say they responded after multiple witnesses reported a dispute over merging between a grey Subaru and a white Jeep near Boulevard Crescent and East 21st Street Saturday afternoon. It is alleged that during the interaction, the occupant of the Jeep got out of their vehicle and was hit by the grey Subaru. The victim was taken to hospital in critical condition and police immediately took the driver of the Subaru into custody. The suspect is facing multiple charges and has since been let
AlbertaOct 06, 2025

Alberta teachers say provincewide strike aims to fix underfunded system in crisis

Alberta's teachers are off the job and the head of their union says it's about taking a stand to fix a cycle of underfunding and overcrowding. Jason Schilling says Alberta is failing to adequately fund education, the system is in ``crisis,'' and teachers owe it to students and future students to do what they can to change that. The 51,000 members of the Alberta Teachers' Association went on strike as promised this morning to back demands for a better deal. The labour action impacts more than 700,000 students across 2,500 public, separate and francophone schools. Premier Daniel
police-investigating-overnight-shooting-at-south-surrey-business
BCOct 06, 2025

Police investigating overnight shooting at Ustaad G76 restaurant in South Surrey

Shots were fired at the Ustaad G76 restaurant in South Surrey at around 2:20am this morning. Staff Sergeant Lindsey Houghton from Surrey Police Service confirmed that the business had suffered damage in the incident. Staff Sgt. Houghton said, “no one was present at the business at the time of the incident and no one was injured.” Police received a report of shots fired at a business located in the 2100 block of King George Boulevard at approximately 2:15 a.m. There is a motel right behind this restaurant and a gas station right besides it, and given such a location, the shooting incident
alberta-premier-smith-urges-talks-as-alberta-teachers-launch-provincewide-strike
AlbertaOct 06, 2025

Alberta Premier Smith urges talks as Alberta teachers launch provincewide strike

Alberta's teachers are off the job and PremierDanielle Smith is urging them to come back to the bargaining table. Smith, speaking to reporters in Montreal, says the two sides are not far apart and expects fixing classroom complexity issues to be the focus of future talks. The 51,000 members of the Alberta Teachers' Association went on strike as promised this morning to back demands for a better deal. The labour action impacts more than 700,000 students across 2,500 public, separate and francophone schools. The teachers overwhelmingly voted against the government's latest offer, w
three-men-arrested-charged-in-extortion-shooting-in-surrey-b-c-police
CanadaOct 06, 2025

Three men arrested, charged in extortion shooting in Surrey, B.C.: police

Three men have been arrested and charged on shooting allegations that police in Surrey, B.C., say are believed to be linked to an extortion investigation. Police say charges stem from an early-morning shooting on March 27 in a residential area of the city where multiple shots were fired at the home. The service says in a statement that no one was hurt and that its investigation eventually led police to believe the shooting was "related to an ongoing extortion investigation." All three accused are in their twenties and police say Mandeep Gidda, Nirmaandeep Cheema and Arundeep Singh are due to a

Related News