CSL adopts resolution opposing Quebec Charter of Values

Here is a copy of the resolution CSL Council adopted on October 1, 2013.

 

RESOLUTION ON THE OPPOSITION OF THE CITY OF CÔTE SAINT-LUC TO THE ADOPTION OF THE QUEBEC CHARTER OF VALUES

 

WHEREAS the Government of Quebec proposed passing a Charter of Quebec Values in to law;

 

WHEREAS in the opinion of the Cote Saint-Luc City Council, the proposed Charter infringes rights granted under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Quebec Charter of Rights in a way that is not reasonable in a free and democratic society;

 

WHEREAS the Council of the City of Cote Saint-Luc believes that the state can be secular while still supporting all religions and those who have no religion and that the way an individual is dressed as a result of their religious beliefs in no way impacts such individuals ability to provide services in a secular state;

 

WHEREAS the proposed Charter will make our civil service, less diverse, as the law forbids employees from wearing religious attire even when such attire is required as a result of their religious beliefs;

 

WHEREAS the City of Cote Saint Luc is composed of people of many cultures, languages and religions, and has no difficulty supporting all such cultures, languages and religions and has no difficulty with civil servants who wear religious head-coverings and/or religious symbols;

 

WHEREAS not one of the residents of our city has ever complained about the clothes/jewelry worn by our civil servants wearing religious attire;

 

WHEREAS our city wants to have diversity in our civil service;

 

            It was

           

                        MOVED BY COUNCILLOR 

                        SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR 

 

            AND RESOLVED:

 

“THAT the City of Cote Saint Luc:

 

·         will vigorously oppose the adoption of the Charter of Quebec Values as proposed by the Quebec Government and firmly states that this proposed Charter of Values does not consist of our values;

 

·         will use all legal means to contest such Charter of Quebec Values if ever adopted into law,

 

·         will invoke any exemption existing in such a law given our opposition to the law;

 

·         will never terminate or punish any employee of the City of Cote Saint-Luc for wearing clothing required by their religion irrespective of any adoption of the Charter of Quebec Values into law;

 

·         will continue supporting our churches and synagogues and other religious institutions as well as those who profess no religion and will continue to maintain all traditional practices of the City including the presence of a Christmas Tree and Menorah on the City Hall lawn at winter holiday time. ”

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

 

 

 

Councillor Mitchell Brownstein speaks out against the Charter of Values

Bravo to Councillor Mitchell Brownstein for this wonderful opinion piece against the Quebec government's proposed Charter of Values. Below are copies in English and French.

“Immigrants not welcome here?”               

 

By Mitchell Brownstein

 Immigration Attorney and Cote Saint Luc Municipal Councillor

As an attorney practicing Immigration Law since 1990 and more recently representing clients in wrongful dismissal claims, it is clear that the proposed Quebec Charter of Values is a wanton aggression on fundamental rights. In a province with such a rich diversity of communities I cannot believe that this is something that could ever come into law. The Parti Quebecois government is sending an insidious message that some people are not wanted here. As responsible Quebecers we must oppose it and let all Quebecers know what the dangers of such a proposal are.

Lawyers from our firm have travelled on business missions with the Government of Quebec (Team Canada and Equipe Quebec Missions) and have watched our provincial governments whether Liberal or Parti Quebecois promote Quebec as a multi-cultural community that welcomes individuals from around the world, offering them the opportunity to become full members of our society, while maintaining their religious beliefs and culture. They have encouraged immigration and presented Quebec as a place that welcomes individuals of diverse religious beliefs and culture.  It is ironic that after such solicitation and encouragement, that the Marois Government has now decided that these same individuals are not welcome. 

 Many of our clients, who have chosen Quebec as their home, wear Hijabs, Turbans, Kippahs, ornamental crosses and other religious symbols. They are doctors, lawyers, teachers, engineers, business people, and students and come here with the greatest desire to contribute to Quebec society.  They work in the private and public sector and chose Montreal as the place they thought welcomed them as full members of society, including their right to religious freedom. 

Should this Charter come into law individuals working in the Public Sector as teachers, nurses, doctors or other professions will be told to take off their religious/cultural garb or resign. Quebecers should not have to choose between their religious beliefs and economic well-being.   In Labour law this is called constructive dismissal and under existing law,  provides the individual with the same rights and recourses against their employer as wrongful dismissal, since changes in the terms of employment that force an individual to quit are tantamount to being fired.  This argument is one that the Federal Government should use to illustrate the unconstitutionally of this proposed Charter of Values, should it come in to law, as it clearly infringes on an individual’s religious rights as guaranteed in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

In my other job as a Municipal Councillor for the City of Cote Saint Luc, I am very proud to be a part of a Council led by Mayor Anthony Housefather, whereby we always speak loudly in order to protect individual minority rights.  We will defend the rights of our public sector employees who wear any form of religious clothing or jewelry.  It is a sad day for all Quebecers that our government is creating laws to divide us rather than unite.

 Mitchell Brownstein is managing partner of the Law Firm Brownstein, Brownstein and Associates specializing in Immigration and Wrongful Dismissal Law.  He is also a Municipal Councillor for the City of Cote Saint Luc.

 

: Mitchell Brownstein with Premier Lucien Bouchard on Team Canada trip to the Philippines January 1997.

 

Les immigrants ne sont pas les bienvenus ici.

Mitchell Brownstein, Avocat en immigration et Conseiller Municipal de la Ville de Côte Saint-Luc

Je suis avocat exerçant le droit de l'immigration depuis 1990. Récemment, je représente des clients dans leurs réclamations pour congédiement injustifié. La Charte des valeurs québécois proposé est une agression flagrante aux droits fondamentaux. Dans une province avec une telle richesse et diversité des communautés ethniques, je ne peux croire qu’une telle chose pourrait être acceptée comme loi. Le gouvernement du Parti québécois envoie un message insidieux que certaines personnes ne sont pas souhaitées. En tant que Québécois responsables, nous avons le devoir de nous opposer et de faire connaitre à tous les citoyens les dangers d'une telle proposition.

Des avocats de notre firme ont participé a des missions d'affaires avec le gouvernement du Québec (Équipe Canada et Missions Équipe Québec) et ont observé nos gouvernements provinciaux, qu'ils soient Libéral ou Parti québécois, promouvant le Québec comme étant une communauté multiculturelle qui accueille les personnes du monde entier. Ainsi, elle leur offre la possibilité de devenir membres à part entière de notre société, tout en conservant leurs croyances religieuses et leur culture. Le paradoxe est qu’après une telle sollicitation et un tel encouragement, le gouvernement Marois décide que ces mêmes personnes ne sont pas les bienvenues.

Plusieurs de nos clients, qui ont choisi le Québec comme patrie, portent le hijab, le turban, la kippa, des croix ornementales et autres symboles religieux. Ils sont médecins, avocats, enseignants, ingénieurs, gens d’affaires, étudiants, et viennent ici avec le plus grand désir de contribuer à la société québécoise. Ils travaillent dans les secteurs privés et publics et ont choisi Montréal comme lieu qu'ils pensaient, les accueillerait comme membres à part entière de la société, y compris leur droit à la liberté religieuse.

Si cette Charte entre en vigueur, les personnes qui travaillent dans le secteur public comme les enseignants, les infirmières, les médecins et autres professions seront incités à soit renoncer de porter leur habit religieux ou culturel ou bien de démissionner. Les Québécois ne devraient pas avoir à choisir entre leurs croyances religieuses et leur bien-être économique. En Droit du travail, c'est ce qu'on appelle un congédiement déguisé. En vertu du droit existant, un congédiement déguisé confère à l'individu les mêmes droits et recours contre ses employeurs qu’un licenciement injustifié, puisque les changements dans les conditions d'emploi, forçant l’individu à quitter, équivalent à un congédiement. Cet argument est celui que le Gouvernement Fédéral devrait utiliser pour illustrer la nature inconstitutionnelle de ce projet de la Charte des valeurs québécois. Si ce projet devait entrer dans la loi, elle va clairement violer ​​les droits religieux de l'individu tels qu'ils sont garantis par la Charte Canadienne des Droits et des Libertés.

En tant que Conseiller Municipal de la Ville de Côte Saint-Luc, je suis très fier de faire partie d'un conseil dirigé par le Maire Anthony Housefather, où nous parlons toujours à voix haute dans le but de protéger les droits des minorités individuelles.

Mitchell Brownstein est Directeur Adjoint au cabinet d'avocats Brownstein, Brownstein et Associés, spécialisé en immigration et en droit du licenciement injustifié. Il est également Conseiller Municipal pour la Ville de Côte Saint-Luc.