Links to the Breadcrumb trail
- Quebec
- Local news
Justice Minister David Lametti is also concerned about Bill 96, which has angered Prime Minister Francois Lego.
Publication date:
May 25, 2022 • 11 hours ago • 4 minutes reading • 52 comments “When it arrives at the Supreme Court, it is by definition a national issue and we will be there,” said David Lametti. PST
Content of the article
Quebec – The federal government plans to intervene in the legal challenge of Quebec’s Bill 21 on state secularism when it arrives at the Supreme Court and does not rule out such actions against the language law, Bill 96, Justice Minister David Lametti said on Wednesday.
Advertising 2
This ad is not yet loaded, but your article continues below.
Content of the article
“We have always said from the beginning that we have some concerns about this bill (21) and that we will leave little room for Quebec residents to express themselves in court,” Lametti told a chaotic press conference on a sidewalk in Montreal. where he was interrupted by a hackler.
“When it arrives at the Supreme Court, it is by definition a national issue and we will be there.”
The comment provoked immediate criticism from Prime Minister Francois Lego in Quebec City.
“There is no point in Minister Lametti, one of Justin Trudeau’s ministers, even before the Court of Appeals’ decision saying he would go to the Supreme Court to challenge Bill 21,” Lego said. “This is a blatant lack of respect for Justin Trudeau towards the people of Quebec, as we know that the majority of Quebec agrees with Bill 21.
Advertising 3
This ad is not yet loaded, but your article continues below.
Content of the article
Justin Trudeau has just said, “I will get involved in this and I will oppose the will of the Quebec majority. It’s a lack of respect on his part. “
“This is a Quebec law, this is not the job of the federal government,” added Simon Jolin-Barrett, a minister in charge of state secularism and the French language.
This is the furthest the federal minister has come so far in terms of possible involvement in the challenge of Bill 21. In the past, Trudeau said he would prefer not to take part in the challenges of Bill 21, but left the door open for intervention at some point. .
Bill 21 is currently before the Quebec Court of Appeal, the highest court in Quebec. In April 2021, Supreme Court Justice Marc-Andre Blanchard upheld most of the law, while warning of the excessive use of the Quebec independence clause to repeal fundamental rights.
Advertising 4
This ad is not yet loaded, but your article continues below.
Content of the article
But the judge overturned provisions related to school boards in English and banned members of the National Assembly from wearing face masks. The Quebec government and groups opposing Bill 21 are appealing the decision.
Adopted by the government of the Avenir Québec Coalition in 2019, Bill 21 prohibits civil servants in positions of power, including teachers, judges and police officers, from wearing religious symbols at work.
Lametti argues that the independence clause was never intended to be used preventively to protect legislation such as Bill 21 and Bill 96 from legal challenges.
“The independence clause should have been the last word in what constitutes a dialogue between the courts and the legislature,” Lametti said. “It simply came to our notice then. And when used as a first word, especially as part of an omnibus bill, it interrupts the political debate.
Advertising 5
This ad is not yet loaded, but your article continues below.
Content of the article
“This also interrupts the judicial review of the alleged law, and this seems to be a negative consequence, in my opinion, and an unintentional negative in our political system.
Entering the debate over Bill 96 – passed by the legislature on Tuesday – Lametti did not rule out challenging the law, which also appears to be intended for the courts.
As a minister and as a Quebec, Lametti said, he has concerns about the law and will monitor how it is implemented.
“As a lawyer and as Minister of Justice, I am obviously concerned about things that could affect the constitutional rights of minorities in Quebec. For example, according to section 133 of the Constitution, there is a section on access to justice in the two official languages, “he said.
Advertising 6
This ad is not yet loaded, but your article continues below.
Content of the article
“If the obligation to translate documents (and) if the way in which provincial court judges are appointed affects access to justice in any way, this could very well affect section 133.
“As Minister of Justice, I am also concerned about the impact on the rights of indigenous peoples, which are formulated and protected under section 35 of the Constitution.
“As a Quebec citizen, I am concerned about access to health care. I am concerned about the search and seizure and the possibility of conducting them and whether this violates the rights of the charter. I am concerned about the potential impact on immigration.
“Am I less than Quebec because I’m against 96?” No. The answer is clear. “
As with Bill 21, Legault did not evaluate comments on Bill 96 coming from the federal level.
Advertising 7
This ad is not yet loaded, but your article continues below.
Content of the article
“At some point, the federal government will have to realize that there is a government in Quebec that is passing laws to protect its values, to defend the French language with the support of the Quebec majority,” Lego said. “So the message I have for Mr Trudeau is, please, have a little respect for the majority of Quebec.”
Meanwhile, Bill 96 continued to excite the National Assembly, with all three opposition parties vowing to rewrite parts of it if they take power in the October provincial elections.
“Bill 96 divides Quebec residents and is an attack on freedom,” said Liberal leader Dominic Anglad.
Bill 96 was also attacked by the Fédération étudiante collégiale du Québec, representing 78,000 CEGEP students.
The group said measures under Bill 96 requiring CEGEP students to take more French language courses would draw more Francophones from the French system who want to graduate with a “bilingual diploma”.
pauthier@postmedia.com
twitter.com/philipauthier
-
Martin St. Victor: Quebec law should not lead to division
-
The British community is planning a rally against Bill 96 in downtown Montreal
-
With Bill 96, passed by the National Assembly, Lego preaches the unity of Quebec
-
Opinion: Bill 96 fails to find the right balance
-
Alison Haynes: Ottawa has finally decided to face Francois Lego
Share this article on your social network
Advertising 1
This ad is not yet loaded, but your article continues below.
Sign up to receive daily headlines from the Montreal Gazette, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.
By clicking on the register button, you agree to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300
Thank you for registering!
Welcome email is on the way. If you don’t see it, please check your junk folder.
The next issue of the Montreal Gazette Headline News will soon be in your inbox.
There was a problem registering with you. Please, try again
Comments
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civic discussion forum and encourages all readers to share their views on our articles. It can take up to an hour to moderate comments before they appear on the site. Please keep your comments up to date and respectful. We have enabled email notifications – you will now receive an email if you receive a response to your comment, there is an update on the thread for comments you follow, or if a user you follow comments on a comment. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.
Add Comment