'I should see your face, and you should see mine,' Quebec premier says of new religious neutrality law

A new law that would effectively force Muslim women who wear a niqab or burka to uncover their faces to use public services is based on a principle "the vast majority of Canadians, and not just Quebecers" can agree on, Premier Philippe Couillard said.

The Liberal government'sBill 62on religious neutrality was passedWednesday in Quebec's NationalAssembly.

"We are just saying that for reasons linked to communication, identification and safety, public services should be given and received with an open face," Couillard told reporters.

"We are in a free and democratic society. You speak to me, I should see your face, and you should see mine. It's as simple as that."

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The law prohibitspublic workers including doctors, teachers and daycare employees as well as those receiving aservice from the government from covering their faces.

It was extended to municipal services, including public transit, in an amendment made in August.

The Liberals, who hold a majority in provincial parliament, voted in favour of the bill, while allthe other parties voted against.

The two main opposition parties, the Parti Qubcois and Coalition Avenir Qubec, have argued the legislation doesn'tgo far enough, while civil rights advocates and Muslim groups argue it discriminates against religious minorities.

'Neutrality of the state'

While the niqab andburkaare not mentioned in the legislation,Quebec Justice MinisterStphanieVallesaid earlier this week the bill aims to clearly establish the "neutrality of the state."

The billprovides for the possibility of religious accommodation in certain cases, leading critics to question how far reaching it will actually be.

It remains unclear how religious accommodation requests will be evaluated.

The province will work with public services, includingmunicipalities, schools and publicdaycares, to establish guidelinesfor how it will be enforced,Valle said. Those may not be ready until next summer.

• Quebec bus drivers seek clarity on law that prohibits passengers from covering faces

Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre, who is in the middle of a municipal election campaign, has been an outspoken critic of the bill,accusing the provincial government of overstepping its jurisdiction and ignoring his city's multicultural character.

On Tuesday, he said there are "serious problems" with how it would be applied.

Valletabled the legislation in 2015, a year after the Liberals took power.

Religion and identity became a key issue in the last election after theParti Qubcois put forward acontentious proposal for a charter of values, which would havebanned public servants from wearing obvious religious symbols.

Liberals accused of 'ugly identity politics'

The National Council of Canadian Muslims issued a statement sayingit was "deeply concerned" by the new lawand that it "boils down to ugly identity politics" ahead of the 2018 provincial election.

Niqab-wearing woman criticizes Quebec's new law

7 years ago

Duration 0:53

Zayneb Binruchd says she would rather stay home than be forced to take off her niqab to ride a bus in Quebec, after the province passed a law obliging citizens to uncover their faces when giving and receiving public services.

ZaynebBinruchd, a 21-year-old Montrealer who wears aniqab, saidshe would rather stay home than take it offto ridea bus.

"I go to mall with my friends, I go out, I go to the library, so it will just make me stay home," she said.

"I don't have a car, I don't have anybody to drive me around, so it will just block me from the rest of the world."

Legal challenge looms

At the federal level, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh saidhe's "completely opposed" to the law, and he's confident the legislation will be challenged.

• NDP'sSingh hopeful Quebec law obliging citizens to uncover their faces will be overturned

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government does not interfere with provincial laws, but will work to ensure the rights of all Canadians are respected.

"I will continue to work to ensure that all Canadians are protected by the charter, while respecting the choices that different parliamentarians can makeat different levels," he said. "Yet here at the federal level, we stand up for the rights of all Canadians."

Julius Grey, a prominent Montreal-based civil rights lawyer, called it a "terrible law."

"I think it's an unconstitutional law as well. It's virtually certain to be set aside whole or possibly in part," he said.

Couillardacknowledgedthe law could face a legal challenge, but said it was crafted to becompatible with the CanadianCharter of Rights and Freedoms, as well as theQuebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms.