The Supreme Court of Canada began hearings Monday regarding the validity of Quebec's pre-emptive use of the notwithstanding clause for Bill 21, which prohibited public employees from wearing religious symbols while at work.
These hearings will continue for four more days, with Monday's hearings focusing on arguments from the plaintiffs of this case.
Bill 21, also known as An Act Respecting the Laicity of the State, was passed on June 16, 2019 by the National Assembly, and it banned public workers from wearing any religious symbols while on the job.
While the bill doesn't single out any specific religious groups, visible religious minorities such as Sikhs and Muslim women have felt the brunt of the law.
One of the plaintiffs is the World Sikh Organization, who are represented at the court by lawyer Faiz Lalani.
Lalani told the court the story of Amrit Kaur, a public school teacher who moved to British Columbia after Quebec passed Bill 21.
“These articles are not simply articles of clothing, they represent fundamental values.” Lalani argued.
For the plaintiffs, Canada's highest court is the last stop in their fight against Bill 21.
Another plaintiff is the National Council of Canadian Muslims. According to NCCM spokesperson Steven Zhou, the fight against Bill 21 is not "just about fighting for religious freedom and charter rights in Quebec, but it's also about fighting for the integrity of our charter."
On Tuesday, Quebec's attorney general was expected to present arguments in defence of Bill 21.
