THE National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) on Monday said it fully rejects the legitimacy of Quebec Premier François Legault’s proposed anti-racism working group.
“As a Quebecer who believes deeply in anti-racism and human rights, the proposed anti-racism working group is a laughable attempt to sanitize Legault’s abysmal record,” said Stephen Brown, NCCM board member. “The reality is that you cannot have a credible anti-racism working group created by someone who mere days before talked about the fact that systemic racism does not exist in Quebec. Furthermore, you cannot have a credible anti-racism working group while Bill 21, a law that legislates second-class citizenship and causes irreparable harm to the citizens of Quebec who are Muslim, Sikh, or Jewish, remains on the books”.
The timing of the introduction of the proposed anti-racism group, close to the one-year anniversary of the passage of Bill 21, is of particular interest to NCCM.
NCCM and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, along with their plaintiff Ichrak Nourel Hak, continue to challenge Bill 21 in court, and will be appearing later on this year in court to continue their challenge.