MONTREAL - Mental health professionals are rejecting the Parti Quebecois's divisive Charter, saying it would violate human rights and legalize discrimination.

In an open letter published in the Gazette, about 20 professors and researchers at Montreal universities and hospitals say the PQ approach to immigration ignores the success of Quebec's longstanding multiculturalism approach.

"In the last 50 years, we have made real strides in moving beyond this history of discrimination in public institutions, including schools, hospitals, social services, police and the courts. Now, the charter proposal is sowing the seeds of dissension by proposing a policy that violates fundamental human rights and creates an environment openly hostile to minorities," wrote the group.

The group also points out the double standard in proclaiming obviously Christian symbols in the National Assembly, Quebec's flag, and on Mount Royal as being exempt from any religious legislation.

Laurence Kirmayer of McGill University's Psychiatry Department said that the proposed PQ legislation could prove difficult for religious groups, whose members might feel isolated and detached causing long-term damage to their mental health.

“So it's going to have a corrosive effect, a negative effect on the development of young people who look around and say 'are there people like me? Are there people from my background represented in the major institutions of this society?'’ asked Kirmayer.

Artists champion the charter

Meanwhile an entirely different type of group was endorsing the charter Tuesday. A Quebec media vedette has collected a group of women calling themselves 'Les Janette' to pledge support for the proposed Charter of Quebec Values.

Janette Bertrand, whose radio and TV career began in the 1950s, collected support from about 20 other women including TV host Julie Snyder, former PQ candidate Djemila Benhabib and actress Denise Filiatrault.

In an open letter signed by Bertrand and her group in the Journal de Montreal and La Presse, the women present the Charter of Values entirely as a matter of gender equality, stating that men have always used religion to oppress women.

"At this moment the principle of gender equality seems to be compromised in the name of freedom of religion," wrote Bertrand.

"Faced with the perspective that there will be a return to the past, I feel the need to speak my mind. I support the idea of a Charter of Quebec Values, which should be called by its proper name of Charter of Secular Values, and that it's passed into law," states the letter.

Bertrand, 88, also wrote that it was within her lifespan that women were granted the right to vote, and that she remembers many women opposing the idea.

Proposal still being debated

Months after the PQ began discussing its Charter the provincial government has yet to present any legislation.

Members of the government are reportedly torn as to which public servants will be subject to the laws banning religious symbols.

On Tuesday morning Democratic Institutions Minister Bernard Drainville said reports that hospitals and their staff would be granted a permanent exemption were flat out incorrect.

"Contrary to what was written [in media reports] there has never been any discussion of excluding health care workers from the Charter of Quebec Values," wrote Drainville.

Every hospital and health organization in the province has apparently notified the provincial government that they will be requesting exemptions for all staff members, requests that reportedly have been dismissed outright by health minister.

Several other government sources suggest that the proposed legislation would ban elected officials from wearing religious symbols, and that the crucifix would be removed from the National Assembly's Blue Room.

Political analyst Jean Lapierre predicts that if the provincial government decides to call an election by the end of the year, legislation will not be presented to the National Assembly unless the PQ wins a second mandate.

Columnist calls on voters to spoil ballot

Meanwhile one of the most-read newspaper columnists in the province says he will spoil his municipal ballot in next month's election.

Journal de Montreal columnist Richard Martineau wrote that it is intolerable that all of the four major mayoral candidates oppose the Charter in what he calls obvious pandering to the city's ethnic and anglophone groups.

In a column apparently designed to be inflammatory, Martineau said this is a time when Montreal needs a mayor with the "cojones" not to stand up to Quebec City, but to stand up and fight for the rights of Montrealers who support imposing restrictions on religious freedom.

The Parti Quebecois government has yet to table any legislation regarding its much-vaunted Charter of Quebec Values, and has not provided any firm date as to when it expects to do so.

Drainville addresses students

Drainville gave a lecture to about 100 students Tuesday at Universite Laval, where he was queried about rumours of divisions within cabinet on the project. He said that there have been internal discussions on the issue but denied that there had been any dissent.

One student protested against the proposed legislation and was escorted out in an otherwise well-received visit.