Most of the speakers appearing before the parliamentary hearings on the Charter of Values Wednesday were in favour of the proposed legislation, except many want it modified in some fashion.
Michelle Blanc, a signatory of Les Janettes letter, is one person who thinks the Charter would not do enough to eliminate religion from public life in Quebec.
She supports the Charter because she fells religions are responsible for many of the world's problems, including war and discrimination.
"I don't see why religions don't pay taxes, I don't see why religious people don't pay taxes," said Blanc, adding that she feels religions have historically demeaned homosexuals, transsexuals and women.
“Let's say you go to a hospital. You're a 16-year-old girl and you want to get an abortion or you want to get the pill or you have a sexually transmitted disease. How would you feel with all the moral judgment of a religious symbol?” she said.
Like many people who wrote in for the first online request for comments, Blanc feels the crucifix should also be removed from the National Assembly.
"I don't understand why the crucifix is still hanging in the National Assembly when it was put there by [Maurice] Duplessis who is responsible for the Duplessis orphans, and my father happens to be one of those orphans who was sexually abused and put in a mental institution," said Blanc.
Premier Pauline Marois has said the crucifix will not be removed from the National Assembly until after the Charter is approved.
The premier also got some pushback.
“Quebec is already neutral,” said speaker Martin Laperriere who said there’s no need for the charter, and also doesn’t feel the plan is constitutional.
Minister of Democratic Institutions, Bernard Drainville, disagreed.
“We are confident that the legal and constitutional foundations of our project are solid,” said Drainville, adding that he feels the Liberals are on shaky ground by changing their position, pointing to the issue of the tchador, which covers the entire body, with the exception of the face.
The Liberals say the decision should be on a case-by-case basis.
“I think this is incoherent. I think this is completely illogical. How can you pretend that the tchador is an accommodation?” said Drainville.
Liberal MNA Kathleen Weil said the Liberals believe employers can decide if tchadors are acceptable in workplaces, because they know what questions to ask.
“I don’t think this minister understands anything about accommodations,” said Weil. “Are you mobile? Is it secure? Can you really play with the kids? If you're a kindergarten teacher, those are things that employers look at.”
The selection process for those appearing at the parliamentary hearings is somewhat random. Officials have said the first presenters are those who were the first to submit their comments when the request for briefs was opened, and it's just a fluke that many of these speakers are supporters of the legislation.
It's still possible for individuals to submit briefs to the hearings.
