With Quebec's possible secularism law, Edmundston mayor hopes more people move to N.B.

EdmundstonMayorCyrilleSimardsees unhappiness with Quebec's proposed secular law as a chance to attract people to northwestern New Brunswick.

"We are looking so badly for people here in New Brunswick," Simard said Friday.

The Quebec governmentintroduced a bill this week that wouldprohibit public workers in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols such as a hijab, skullcap or turban.

Religious groups have reacted with concern, and some public-sector employees have eventhreatenedto leave the province if the bill becomes law.

New bill 'an opportunity'

But Simard, whose city lies just outside the Quebec border, used the discontent to talk about job opportunities in New Brunswick.

• Quebec government's proposed secularism law would ban public workers from wearing religious symbols

"If Quebec doesn't want those who carry religious signs, come to us we have room and we are hospitable," he wrote on Twitter.

He said his tweet was directed at people graduating from university or otherprograms in Quebec and looking for permanent jobs.

He said teaching, manufacturing, tourism, health care and policing are all in need of workers.

New Brunswick's unemployment rate

As Canada's sole bilingual province, Simardsaid, he is also hopeful more bilingual employees will move to the province, where "linguistic rights are protected."

In the Edmundston area, the unemployment rate is sitting around4.1 per cent. Both private and public sectors are affected by the lack of skilled workers.

• What's in Quebec's secularism bill: Religious symbols, uncovered faces and a charter workaround

In its monthly labour force survey, Statistics Canada said theunemployment rate in New Brunswick rose to 8.5 per cent in February.

"It's almost a crisis at this stage," he said.