Portrait of Pierre Poilievre
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Pierre Poilievre on Bill 21

Hopes for Quebec repeal (moderate) Position evolved

TL;DR

Pierre Poilievre opposes Quebec's Bill 21, expressing a hope that the provincial government will ultimately repeal the controversial secularism law.

Key Points

  • He has expressed a hope that the Quebec government will repeal Bill 21, which bans religious symbols for certain public servants.

  • The party faced clarification requests after its MPs voted in favour of a motion affirming provincial rights to use the notwithstanding clause.

  • His stance during the leadership race was noted by some as having changed gears on the issue, particularly when speaking in French.

Summary

Pierre Poilievre maintains a position of opposition to Quebec's Bill 21, the province's secularism law that bans religious symbols for some public servants. While he respects provincial jurisdiction regarding the law's passage, his office has indicated that he hopes the Quebec government will eventually repeal the legislation. His stance has been characterized by some analysis as an effort to balance opposition to the law with the political necessity of maintaining support in Quebec, where the law is generally more popular.

During his leadership bid, Poilievre's position appeared to shift or change in tone regarding the bill, particularly in French-language settings, leading to claims of changing gears on the issue. The federal Conservative party, under his leadership, has also faced scrutiny for voting in favour of a motion affirming a province's right to use the notwithstanding clause, which Quebec used to enact Bill 21. Despite this, the party has worked to clarify that the leader remains opposed to the substance of the Quebec law itself.

Key Quotes

“We shouldn’t have a state that forces people to wear or not wear something,”

he hopes it is repealed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Pierre Poilievre is opposed to Quebec's Bill 21, which prohibits some public sector employees from wearing religious symbols. He has publicly stated that he hopes the law will eventually be repealed by the Quebec government.

Reports have suggested that Poilievre changed gears or modified his tone regarding Bill 21 during the Tory leadership race, especially when speaking in French. Despite this, his office has maintained that he is opposed to the law.

The federal Conservatives, including those supporting Poilievre, voted in favour of a motion that recognized a province's right to use the notwithstanding clause pre-emptively. However, the party has since clarified that this vote does not equate to explicit support for Quebec's use of the clause to enact Bill 21.