“The federal government should support the 3 million Quebecers opposed to Bill 21”

In a press conference this morning, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh answered questions about Bill 21 in light of the removal of a teacher in Chelsea, Quebec last week.

“I’ve always been opposed to Bill 21. I remember in 2019, every single day in Quebec I was asked this question by the media. It’s a law that’s discriminatory. It’s a law that hurts people and now we have seen the impact directly. A teacher was removed from a class. In this moment, seeing a direct impact and how it is so wrong — how do you explain that to your kids? ‘Why is my teacher no longer teaching in class?’ ‘Oh it’s because of the way she looks and the clothes she wears.’ We teach our kids that it shouldn’t matter how you look or the clothes you wear, and that’s not the case right now.”

Singh was asked why he wasn’t so vocal about the law during the recent federal election campaign.

“Clearly it’s something that I feel strongly about because I know what it feels like to be discriminated against, and I’ve always been opposed to discrimination of any sort. People shouldn’t be discriminated upon because of how much money they have, and it shouldn’t mean that they don’t have access to healthcare. People shouldn’t be discriminated upon based on the way they look. It shouldn’t impact the way police treat you. It shouldn’t impact the way that you are able to contribute, whether you are a teacher or any other profession.”

Yesterday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that while Bill 21 is an issue to be debated amongst Quebecers, the government “has not closed the door” on the possibility of intervening in a fight to contest the law at the federal level. Today Singh voiced full support for backing a Supreme Court challenge, noting that polls show 3 million people in Quebec don’t support the law.

“At this moment, if this case gets to the federal level, I think that the federal government should support the 3 million Quebecers who are opposed to this bill and should support the Quebecers who are fighting this discriminatory law in court.”

—Jagmeet Singh on Bill 21

Le chef du NPD Jagmeet Singh se dit en faveur d'une contestation de la Loi 21 et serait même prêt à demander un statut d'intervenant dans une cause judiciaire. « Le gouvernement fédéral doit aussi appuyer les Québécois qui contestent cette loi discriminatoire. »#polcan pic.twitter.com/ziOKVX33EB

— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) December 14, 2021

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