Coming together for a secular Quebec

MONTREAL – A group of prominent Quebec thought leaders made the case for a secular Quebec on Tuesday in Montreal.

The Alliance for Secularism (Le Rassemblement pour la laïcité) is made up of 15 organizations and 60 public figures who are throwing their support behind a law on secularism.

Former student leader, Martine Desjardins joined ranks with, among others, Claire L’Heureux-Dubé, a former Supreme Court of Canada judge; Ali Kaidi, the co-founder of the Quebec Association of North Africans for Secularism; teacher Leila Bensalem and Quebec union leader Réjean Parent, to present the groups views on Quebec’s proposed Charter of Values.

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The coalition said Tuesday that it’s in favour of the ban on religious symbols in the public and fully supports the charter.

It also wants the current option to opt out offered to various organizations to be replaced by a period of transition, and for the crucifix in the National Assembly to be moved elsewhere.

In pictures: Several hundred protesters at pro-Charter demo