What you need to know about Quebec's "religious neutrality" legislation

[Saviolo]

From the CBC: Full Article

A bill that requires people in Quebec who give or receive any public service to uncover their faces has been adopted into law.

The vote was passed Wednesday at the National Assembly in Quebec City.

Many important details still need to be crafted, and its implications may be decided by the courts.

It does not specifically mention the niqab or burka, two styles of traditional garments that cover the face, worn by some Muslim women.

Initially, the bill was only to apply to provincial public-sector services and provincially funded institutions, including universities and schools.

In August, Justice Minister Stéphanie Vallée proposed amendments that make the legislation apply to municipalities, metropolitan communities and public transit organizations.

That means, according to the justice minister, anyone who rides a bus or the Metro must be unveiled.

On Monday, Vallée told CBC Montreal's Daybreak that a woman who normally wears a burka or niqab would have to show her face for the duration of her ride — "as long as the service is being rendered."

Under the rules for religious accommodation requests, a woman who wears a niqab or burka when receiving public services can apply for an exemption, leading many critics to question how far-reaching the ban will actually be.

"This is the whole problem with the law. No one knows how it will be applied," said the Parti Québécois's critic for issues related to secularism, Agnes Maltais.

Several legal observers said they expect people who cover their faces for religious reasons to mount a constitutional challenge of the legislation.

Of course there is a great deal of controversy about the bill itself. More from the CBC:
There's nothing neutral about Quebec's religious neutrality bill, Muslim advocate says
Jagmeet Singh hopeful Quebec's controversial Bill 62 will be overturned
Quebec's new religious neutrality law offers a special level of hypocrisy: Neil Macdonald

[guillaumeb]

1. The PQ has always had an anti-religious component.

Pauline Marois used Islamophobia in a failed attempt to retain her Premiership.