Drainville's ban challenged in court
A coalition of Muslim associations is petitioning the court to revoke the ban on the development of prayer rooms in schools decreed by the Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville.
Adopted barely a month ago, the minister's directive contravenes other government laws, in addition to violating the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, they say in their lawsuit filed in Superior Court Wednesday.
"The pith and substance of this measure is a complete prohibition of any form of prayer whatsoever in public schools,"
the plaintiffs argue in their lawsuit.
This coalition includes the Muslim Association of Canada, the Forum of Canadian Muslims, the Muslim Community Centre of Montreal, the Muslim Association of North America in Laval, the Muslim Cultural Centre of Montreal Inc. and the Islamic Community Centre of Brossard.
On April 19, Education Minister Bernard Drainville officially ordered all school service centres to
prohibit the provision of prayer rooms in classrooms.
This followed the publication of several reports about Laval high schools, among others, that had set up rooms of contemplation in classrooms, while groups of students prayed in inappropriate places, such as stairwells or parking lots.
In a directive adopted by the Council of Ministers, Bernard Drainville stated that "no place" of a school should be used for prayer.
"Wrong" wordingThe directive, published in the Official Gazette, also stated that it was necessary "in order to preserve the secular character of the school" and intended for school service centres to ensure "that no place is used, in fact or appearance, for religious practices such as overt prayers or other similar practices."
However, this wording would be "erroneous", argues the coalition, since this measure goes against laws already adopted by Quebec, including the Act to promote respect for the religious neutrality of the State, which provides for the possibility of reasonable accommodation.
Qui plus est, la Loi sur la laïcité de l’État, adoptée par le gouvernement Legault lui-même, crée des interdictions spécifiques qui s’appliquent aux fonctionnaires, mais pas « spécifiquement au niveau des administrés qui sont ici les élèves », ajoute-t-on.
Aussi, « puisqu’il s’agit d’une interdiction complète de toute forme de prière et que la prière est une composante essentielle de la pratique religieuse musulmane, cette interdiction discrimine un groupe d’individus au détriment d’autres groupes », peut-on lire dans le document.
La pratique de cette religion demande d’effectuer cinq prières par jour à différents moments de la journée, « moments qui peuvent se retrouver en même temps que les élèves sont à l’école », rappelle la coalition dans sa poursuite.
For this reason, it calls for the revocation of the directive and a judgment on the legal interpretation of secularism and religious neutrality of the State so that these notions are no longer "interpreted as allowing a complete and absolute prohibition
of religious practices in any public place".
"The Muslim community does not seek to be privileged over others, but affirms its categorical refusal to be continually targeted under various pretexts and excuses," the Forum of Canadian Muslims said in a statement Wednesday.
Called to react, the minister's office said Wednesday that it will not comment given the judicialization of the file. According to the Forum, Bernard Drainville has been warned of the possible filing of this lawsuit.
THE STORY SO FARApril 3, 2023Two high schools in Laval have authorized the temporary opening of a "healing" room to allow Muslim students to pray, reveals Cogeco News.
April 5, 2023After first declaring that schools should not reserve prayer rooms for a single religion, the Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville, changed his tune. A directive will be issued to ban the practice, he said.
April 19, 2023Cabinet approves a directive directing school service centres to ensure that their schools do not provide prayer facilities.
Adopted barely a month ago, the minister's directive contravenes other government laws, in addition to violating the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, they say in their lawsuit filed in Superior Court Wednesday.
"The pith and substance of this measure is a complete prohibition of any form of prayer whatsoever in public schools,"
the plaintiffs argue in their lawsuit.
This coalition includes the Muslim Association of Canada, the Forum of Canadian Muslims, the Muslim Community Centre of Montreal, the Muslim Association of North America in Laval, the Muslim Cultural Centre of Montreal Inc. and the Islamic Community Centre of Brossard.
On April 19, Education Minister Bernard Drainville officially ordered all school service centres to
prohibit the provision of prayer rooms in classrooms.
This followed the publication of several reports about Laval high schools, among others, that had set up rooms of contemplation in classrooms, while groups of students prayed in inappropriate places, such as stairwells or parking lots.
In a directive adopted by the Council of Ministers, Bernard Drainville stated that "no place" of a school should be used for prayer.
"Wrong" wordingThe directive, published in the Official Gazette, also stated that it was necessary "in order to preserve the secular character of the school" and intended for school service centres to ensure "that no place is used, in fact or appearance, for religious practices such as overt prayers or other similar practices."
However, this wording would be "erroneous", argues the coalition, since this measure goes against laws already adopted by Quebec, including the Act to promote respect for the religious neutrality of the State, which provides for the possibility of reasonable accommodation.
Qui plus est, la Loi sur la laïcité de l’État, adoptée par le gouvernement Legault lui-même, crée des interdictions spécifiques qui s’appliquent aux fonctionnaires, mais pas « spécifiquement au niveau des administrés qui sont ici les élèves », ajoute-t-on.
Aussi, « puisqu’il s’agit d’une interdiction complète de toute forme de prière et que la prière est une composante essentielle de la pratique religieuse musulmane, cette interdiction discrimine un groupe d’individus au détriment d’autres groupes », peut-on lire dans le document.
La pratique de cette religion demande d’effectuer cinq prières par jour à différents moments de la journée, « moments qui peuvent se retrouver en même temps que les élèves sont à l’école », rappelle la coalition dans sa poursuite.
For this reason, it calls for the revocation of the directive and a judgment on the legal interpretation of secularism and religious neutrality of the State so that these notions are no longer "interpreted as allowing a complete and absolute prohibition
of religious practices in any public place".
"The Muslim community does not seek to be privileged over others, but affirms its categorical refusal to be continually targeted under various pretexts and excuses," the Forum of Canadian Muslims said in a statement Wednesday.
Called to react, the minister's office said Wednesday that it will not comment given the judicialization of the file. According to the Forum, Bernard Drainville has been warned of the possible filing of this lawsuit.
THE STORY SO FARApril 3, 2023Two high schools in Laval have authorized the temporary opening of a "healing" room to allow Muslim students to pray, reveals Cogeco News.
April 5, 2023After first declaring that schools should not reserve prayer rooms for a single religion, the Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville, changed his tune. A directive will be issued to ban the practice, he said.
April 19, 2023Cabinet approves a directive directing school service centres to ensure that their schools do not provide prayer facilities.
