Bill 21 ‘An Act Respecting the Laicity of the State:’ A critical discourse analysis problematizing the religious dress ban and its impacts on Québec’s social fabric

[Para. 1 of Introduction]

On October 1st, 2018, Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) won the elections in Québec, Canada. The province’s centre-right to right-wing nationalist and autonomist political party led by businessman François Legault had prioritized as part of their electoral platform the secularization of Québécois institutions. On June 17, 2019, the CAQ fulfilled their electoral promise by adopting Bill 21 An Act respecting the Laicity of the State sponsored by Simon Jolin-Barrette, the Minister of Immigration, Francisation and Integration. The first secular legislation in Canada prohibits individuals in positions of public authority from wearing religious symbols while on duty. It affects all new public-sector hires including but not limited to, peace officers, judges, teachers, public servants, lawyers, and notaries. The decision to secularize Québec’s institutions is far from unanimous. Bill 21 has led to significant polarizations within the province and Canada.