16/09/2013
MONTREAL:
Thousands of people gathered in Montreal to speak out against Quebec’s proposed charter of values, which has sparked a heated debate across the country.
Multiple faiths joined together Saturday to march through Montreal's
downtown core in protest of the controversial charter, which would
restrict public servants from wearing religious symbols – such as
kippas, hijabs, turbans and larger-than-average crucifixes – in the
workplace.
The event began with speeches at a downtown park, and from there, protesters marched for two-kilometres through the city. Organizers expected 20,000 people at the event, and said it would be the first of several actions against the proposed charter.
Salam Elmenyawi of the Muslim Council of Montreal said the crowd came together to send a message: “no interference with religion, no interference with freedom.”
John Walsh, a retired Catholic priest, said he joined the march in a show of solidarity with people of different religions.
“We're in one society, we're one people, we're all Quebecers and we want the best society that we possibly can build together,” he told CTV Montreal.
Earlier this week, the province’s governing Parti Quebecois unveiled its plan to secularize and remove religious symbols from public office, a move that would affect all public servants, including government employees, doctors, nurses and teachers.
Thousands of people gathered in Montreal to speak out against Quebec’s proposed charter of values, which has sparked a heated debate across the country.
The event began with speeches at a downtown park, and from there, protesters marched for two-kilometres through the city. Organizers expected 20,000 people at the event, and said it would be the first of several actions against the proposed charter.
Salam Elmenyawi of the Muslim Council of Montreal said the crowd came together to send a message: “no interference with religion, no interference with freedom.”
John Walsh, a retired Catholic priest, said he joined the march in a show of solidarity with people of different religions.
“We're in one society, we're one people, we're all Quebecers and we want the best society that we possibly can build together,” he told CTV Montreal.
Earlier this week, the province’s governing Parti Quebecois unveiled its plan to secularize and remove religious symbols from public office, a move that would affect all public servants, including government employees, doctors, nurses and teachers.
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