Woman in hijab on signage sparks debate in Montreal [Video]

Montreal City Hall has found itself at the heart of a heated debate.

A welcome sign featuring a woman wearing a hijab is set to be taken down, sparking reactions from all sides.

It’s been displayed at city hall since June, after the building reopened following renovations.

In the centre of the image is a woman wearing a hijab, and here’s been a chorus of calls to take it down.

The Mouvement Laique Quebecois, which advocates for state secularism, was one of those voices.

“It doesn’t represent diversity… it excludes all the people who aren’t represented by that image,” says the group’s president Daniel Baril.

This week the group filed a series of complaints with the Human Rights Commission stating the sign violates municipal and provincial laws.

On a talk show last Sunday, Mayor Valerie Plante said it’ll be removed because it caused “discomfort.”

Yesterday, speaking to reporters, Plante added …