Court challenge to Quebec’s Bill 21 temporarily on hold after positive COVID-19 test

The court challenge to Quebec’s secularism law has been temporarily suspended after a person who had attended the proceedings tested positive for COVID-19.

Superior Court Justice Marc-André Blanchard was informed Thursday that the child of one of the lawyers had tested positive.

The child had also been present in the Montreal courtroom earlier this week prior to their test.

READ MORE: Legal challenge against Quebec’s secularism law gets underway in Montreal

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Blanchard suspended the proceedings for the rest of the day and said he would meet with the lawyers involved in the case on Friday to discuss how to proceed.

The court challenge of the secularism law, known as Bill 21, is being heard in one of the Montreal courthouse’s biggest rooms and with health measures in place including distancing and mask-wearing.

Several groups are challenging the law, which prevents state employees in positions of authority, including teachers and police officers, from wearing religious symbols at work.

2:17 Trial challenging Bill 21 gets underway in Montreal court