Rights Group Condemns Quebec Plan to Ban Religious Symbols for Elementary School Pupils

Rights Group Condemns Quebec Plan to Ban Religious Symbols for Elementary School Pupils
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The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) has criticized the Quebec government’s reported plan to extend restrictions on religious symbols to elementary school pupils, warning that the measure could undermine children’s right to education and freedom of religious expression.

In a statement issued on October 30, 2026, the association quoted Anaïs Bussière McNicoll, its Quebec spokesperson and director of fundamental freedoms, who spoke at a press conference organized by the National Council of Canadian Muslims in Montreal the previous day.

Bussière McNicoll said the province’s new education minister had confirmed the government’s intention to expand the ban to elementary schools. She stressed that every child, including a 10-year-old girl, must have the right to attend school regardless of religious clothing.

The CCLA said the proposal follows a series of restrictions under Quebec’s Bills 21, 94 and 9, which it argues have disproportionately affected religious communities, particularly Muslim women. It warned that expanding the ban could further exclude children and families from public education and school activities.

The association also cited concerns raised by school administrators over the possibility that some pupils could leave school because of the restrictions.

Bussière McNicoll warned that the proposal sends a message of exclusion and called on the government to prioritize education, healthcare, housing and the rising cost of living.