A major union representing early childhood educators in Quebec is calling for an immediate halt to the provincial government's plan to expand its controversial ban on religious symbols to the subsidized child-care network. The Fédération des intervenantes en petite enfance du Québec (FIPEQ-CSQ) issued the demand following the announcement of the proposed legislation, arguing it unfairly targets Muslim women and will exacerbate the sector's critical labour shortage.
Union Leaders Challenge the Bill's Premise
Anne-Marie Bellerose, president of the FIPEQ-CSQ, which represents 12,000 members, stated that expanding the ban is unnecessary because pedagogical programs in early childhood centres are already fully secular. She questioned the fundamental logic of the bill, asking, "The fact that an educator, for example, wears a veil … Does that really have an impact on a child’s development?" Bellerose emphasized that the network has long upheld secularism and that there is no possibility for religious instruction within the established curriculum.
Implications for the Workforce and Child-Care Services
The proposed bill would apply the religious symbols prohibition to all employees in CPEs, subsidized daycares, and the coordinating bureaus for home-based daycares. While a grandfather clause protects existing workers in their current roles, it is lost if they change employers or receive a promotion. This clause came into effect immediately, even though the full bill won't face hearings and a vote until the new year.
Bellerose warned that this restriction on mobility will drive dedicated educators out of the public network. "People will leave … they’ll just leave the network," she predicted, noting many would likely seek work in the unaffected private sector. The union is now creating a survey to determine how many of its members are affected, criticizing the government for not having this data before advancing the policy.
Targeting Muslim Women and Sending a Harmful Message
Other labour and advocacy groups have echoed these concerns, stating clearly that the ban disproportionately affects Muslim women who wear hijabs. Sylvie Nelson of the Syndicat québécois des employées et employés de service (SQEES-FTQ) said, "Let’s be honest, it’s veiled women who are being targeted by this bill." She defended these educators, stating they provide excellent care and are appreciated by parents, with no evidence of proselytizing.
Karima Handis, a division president with the SQEES-FTQ, shared her personal story, stating she would have been barred from her career had this ban existed 30 years ago. Vé Mikaelian of the Fédération des femmes du Québec warned the policy will worsen economic inequalities and increase Islamophobia. She argued it sends a "chilling message to children" that certain people and beliefs are not welcome in public life, effectively creating segregation through government policy.
