Quebec unveils curriculum reform to replace former Ethics and Religious Culture program
Quebec unveiled an overhaul to its curriculum Sunday with a new program promising "a better understanding of our culture," according to the education minister.
The new program called "Culture and Citizenship in Quebec" will replace the former Ethics and Religious Culture program, also known as ERC.
Education Minister Jean-François Roberge announced the change Sunday, adding that a pilot project would roll out in classrooms across the province at the start of the 2022 school year. The program will be taught province-wide by 2023.
We have a Quebec way of life. We have our artists, francophone and anglophone. We have our cultural legacy and that’s the culture here in Quebec. We are not ashamed to share this culture with our kids," said Roberge.
The new program is built on three main aspects: "culture," "citizenship in Quebec," and "dialogue and critical thinking."
The "culture" componant will "highlight Quebec culture, which defines our society."
"This will allow students to grasp the culture in which they operate," read a Sunday press release, "and understand that each society is influenced by a different cultural context."
"Quebec citizenship," the second componant, aims to teach students about civic life and media literacy. It will also cover "fundamental principles" like "self respect, freedom of expression and concience, equality and secularism."
In the third componant, "dialogue and critical thinking," students "will be asked to question themselves and tackle moral dilemmas," read the announcement, "to examine cultural, religious, scientific and social references."
But not everyone thinks this change is the right approach.
Westmount High School teacher Dr. Sabrina Jafralie says fewer discussions about religion's influence "is a gross mistake."
"We have to acknowledge that religion is part of people's identity, whether you're religious or not," said Jafralie, who teachers the Culture and Quebec Citizenship program.
She questioned whether the revision is just a political strategy by the CAQ government.
"For me, this signals a political puppet play."
LISTEN ON CJAD 800 RADIO: Quebec wants to teach "critical thinking"...what is that? Political analyst Tom Mulcair weighs in
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Breast cancer screening should start at age 40, Canadian Cancer Society says
The Canadian Cancer Society says all provinces and territories should lower the starting age for breast cancer screening to 40.
DEVELOPING Live updates as Stormy Daniels testifies at Trump hush money trial
Adult film star Stormy Daniels is on the stand a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush money case continues in Manhattan. Follow live updates here.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
BREAKING Sheldon Keefe out as head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired head coach Sheldon Keefe. The team made the announcement Thursday after the Original Six franchise lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Boeing 737 catches fire and skids off the runway at a Senegal airport, injuring 10 people
A Boeing 737-300 plane carrying 85 people skidded off a runway at the airport in Dakar, Senegal's capital, injuring 10 people, according to the transport minister, an airline safety group and footage from a passenger that showed the aircraft on fire.
Canadian-Israeli man shot dead in Egypt; claim links killing to Gaza
A Canadian man 'of Jewish Israeli descent' has been shot dead in the Egyptian city of Alexandria in a suspected criminal case, a security source said, while a previously unknown militant group said it carried out the attack in reaction to the war in Gaza.