Quebec plans to strengthen secularism in schools [Video]

As parliamentarians prepare for the holidays, Quebec Education Minister Bernard Drainville announced Friday morning that he plans to table a bill to “reinforce secularism in schools.”

The issue of secularism in schools has been the subject of much debate during the parliamentary session, with numerous cases making headlines.

Prayer during classes

Drainville was responding to a report by “La Presse” that Saint-Maxime high school in Laval would allow prayer during classes, in the presence of teachers, and in the hallways.

“Listen, that’s not our Quebec,” Drainville said in a news scrum at the National Assembly Friday morning. He also criticized the fact that students apparently “heckled” during sex education activities.

“The events brought to light at Saint-Maxime school in Laval are completely intolerable and unacceptable. These acts of a religious nature clearly contravene secularism obligations. We expect the Laval school service centre to continue its checks. (…) If disciplinary action must be imposed, we expect the service …