By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

A coalition of feminist and human rights groups is sounding the alarm over Quebec’s Bill 94, warning that the legislation would deepen the exclusion and discrimination faced by Muslim women in the province.

Audrey Gosselin Pellerin, a political feminist organizer with the Réseau des Tables régionales de groupes de femmes du Québec, said in an interview that the bill would have devastating consequences, particularly for Muslim women who wear religious coverings.

“This law, Bill 94, will broaden the scope of discriminatory measures that were already introduced in Bill 21,” Pellerin explained. “We have seen that Muslim women have had to give up their careers, rethink their career path, and live in more economic insecurity because of these laws.”

Bill 94, introduced by Education Minister Bernard Drainville, proposes extending the existing ban on religious symbols to cover not only public-school teachers and authority figures, as Bill 21 did, but also students, parents, all school staff, and anyone working under agreements with educational institutions. The proposed law is facing fierce opposition from over 20 organizations, including the Fédération des femmes du Québec and the Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes réfugiées et immigrantes.

In an open letter released this week, the groups argue that the government is invoking gender equality as a justification for the bill but is in fact harming the very women it claims to protect. “We reject it because we see it as a form of instrumentalization of feminism,” said Pellerin. “We cannot achieve equality by excluding certain women from the public sphere and the job market.”

She added that the effects of Bill 21, which the new legislation would expand, have been profound and deeply harmful for Muslim women, many of whom report increased isolation, harassment, and intimidation in their workplaces and public spaces. “Their participation in society has decreased because they constantly have to be hypervigilant,” Pellerin said.

A study by Metropolis cited in the open letter found that 64 per cent of Muslim women surveyed said their willingness to participate in Quebec’s social and political life diminished after Bill 21 came into effect in 2019. According to the feminist coalition, Bill 94 risks worsening that exclusion, contrary to the government’s stated goals of promoting harmony and equality.

“What we want, basically, is that women can have access to school and employment without religious conditions and within a framework that respects the rights of all,” Pellerin said.

She warned that Bill 94 would effectively override 38 articles of the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, including those guaranteeing equality. “Everybody in Quebec should be worried,” she said. “It shows us that the government knows its bill is not respecting the rights, and it’s still moving forward.”

The open letter also criticizes the legislative process surrounding Bill 94. According to Pellerin, feminist groups critical of Bill 21 and the new bill were not invited to testify before the parliamentary committee studying the legislation. “We believe that’s unacceptable because it’s such a far-reaching decision and there should be a proper consultation,” she said.

The coalition is calling on Drainville to immediately withdraw Bill 94 and repeal Bill 21. They are also urging members of the public who oppose the bill to contact their Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) and submit comments to the parliamentary committee.

Pellerin emphasized that supporting Muslim women means respecting their autonomy to choose whether or not to wear religious symbols. “We support their autonomy and reject any imposition to wear or to remove the veil,” she said.

“Our feminism is one of autonomy, respect, and dignity,” she added.