Thousands of people took to the Montreal streets on Sunday in the latest public demonstration against Bill 21.
They marched through downtown, all with the same message of opposition against the CAQ’s incoming ban on religious symbols in certain sectors of the provincial workforce.
Many feel that the legislation will divide the province.
“I came here to have a good life and a new life,” one demonstrator said. “You will force me to do something or you will avoid to give me some opportunities to work as I like.”
Among those on hand: Aymen Derbali, who survived the 2017 Quebec City mosque attack.
“We are in solidarity with all the religious minorities and their rights to access to have a job,” he said.
Premier Francois Legault’s vision was that the bill would unite Quebecers by ending the secularism debate that has gripped the province for the past decade.
It’s proving, however, to have the opposite effect.
“We keep on dividing our society rather than actually building on the services the government is supposed to be offering,” said Salam Elmenyawi of the Muslim Council of Montreal.
The Legault government is hoping the bill is passed by the summer.
