THE World Sikh Organization of Canada and its Vice President for Québec, Amrit Kaur, announced on Thursday that they will be joining the legal challenge to Québec’s ‘An Act respecting the laicity of the State.’

By filing a declaration of intervention, WSO and Kaur seek to intervene as parties to the proceeding commenced by the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, National Council of Canadian Muslims and Ms. Ichrak Nourel Hak.

This law, which prohibits the wearing of religious symbols by certain public sector employees, primarily affects members of the Sikh, Muslim and Jewish communities by preventing them from accessing various legislative, executive, judicial and other public sector positions in Québec – including teaching and representing the state as lawyers or notaries.

Mukhbir Singh, WSO President, said: “Québec’s ‘An Act respecting the laicity of the State‘ is deeply discriminatory and has an enormous impact on the Sikh community as well as others who wear religious symbols.  The World Sikh Organization of Canada will be joining the legal challenge to this law in order to uphold freedom of religion as an imperative right, both in Québec and across Canada.”

WSO and Kaur are represented by Léon Moubayed, Faiz Lalani and Sarah Gorguos from Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP.