We Stand With Fatemeh

The Canadian Council of Muslim Women is extremely disheartened by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s decision to not intervene in Quebec’s debate over Bill 21; the provincial law which bans many public sector employees like teachers from wearing religious clothing or symbols like hijabs, kippas or turbans.

The controversial law has been the subject of legal challenges led by civil rights groups and school boards, and the cause of major distress for Canada’s Muslim communities since it was passed in 2019. Despite mounting pressure pushing the federal government to intervene and fight the bill in court, the Prime Minister has said that he plans to stay out of the fight for now and adopt a hands-off approach.

His comments come days after the removal of a Muslim teacher from her classroom in Chelsea, Quebec for wearing a hijab. Fatemeh Anvari, a Grade 3 teacher at Chelsea Elementary School was reassigned from her classroom last week because her hijab contravened the province’s Bill 21 law.

Fatemeh lost the opportunity to do what she loves simply because of how she practices her faith.

The decision goes against Canadian values and principles. It is unconscionably unfair, undemocratic and unacceptable for anyone living in a free and open society to lose their job because of their religion, and to be denied the opportunity to do what they love simply because of the way they look. There were absolutely no concerns about Fatemeh’s capacity and ability to teach. She was targeted because of the way she looked and dressed and she is now no longer able to teach simply on that basis.

Bill 21 is an absolute disgrace and a gross violation of human rights. The ruling directly contradicts the Fundamental Freedoms section of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom and it disproportionately impacts and dehumanizes Canadian Muslim women who wear the hijab. It reinforces systemic prejudice, promotes gendered Islamophobia and divides Canadians. Women should have the right to wear what they want to wear and governments do not have any business policing their choices. The secularism law treats Canada’s Muslims as second class citizens and has real life consequences, not only for civil servants like Fatemeh who are targeted unfairly in Quebec due to their faith attire, but for all Canadian Muslims.

We cannot keep silent on this anymore and watch as more hardworking and dedicated Muslim women are targeted, harassed and removed from their jobs. Bill 21 has to be opposed in court, in Parliament and in streets across Canada. It’s time our leaders stood up for what’s right. We call on the Canadian government and leaders to contest, challenge and question this discriminatory law. We urge the Prime Minister to publicly and unequivocally denounce the law in the strongest possible terms and to coordinate a holistic government response to protect the rights and freedoms of individuals observing religious attire in Quebec. We also urge the PM to to intervene in the court proceedings of Bill 21 and to introduce anti-hate legislation in Canada. We call on him to abandon his hands-off stance and take swift and decisive action to prove his commitment in ensuring that the rights and freedoms of Canadian Muslim women and girls are upheld.

The removal of Fatemeh should outrage not just Muslims in Quebec but each and every one of us. Bill 21 is a public safety concern for the entirety of Canada. We call on all Canadians to take a united stance against this draconian law and to voice their support for firm action against it. Please call on your local ministers to denounce the ruling. Please join the fight to protect our rights and freedoms and have Bill 21 repealed. Sign the petition here

CCMW stands in solidarity with Fatemeh. We support all Muslim women and girls across Canada and stand up for their rights and choices, including their decision to wear the hijab.


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