Quebec government to ban religious symbols in daycares

QUÉBEC — The Quebec government says it will ban religious symbols in the province’s daycare centres.

Secularism Minister Jean-François Roberge says there is a “broad consensus” that Quebecers want secularism to be strengthened.

The announcement follows a recommendation to extend the ban to daycares made this summer by a committee tasked with advising the province on how to enhance secularism.

Quebec has already banned public sector workers in positions of authority, like teachers and judges, from wearing religious symbols on the job.

Roberge says the new legislation will include a grandfather clause for people already employed in daycare centres.

The government has already tabled legislation to extend the religious symbols ban to all public school staff, and Roberge has also promised