Quebec education minister's meeting with Malala Yousafzai garners backlash online
Roberge was roundly criticized on Twitter over CAQ's secularism law
Quebec Education Minister Jean-Francois Roberge is being accused of hypocrisy after tweeting a picture of himself with Nobel Prize-winning human rights activist Malala Yousafzai.
Roberge met Yousafzai while in France, and said on Twitter that they discussed education and international development.
But he was quickly reminded that Yousafzai, who wears a headscarf, wouldn't be legally permitted to teach in Quebec public schools under his government's new secularism law.
Roberge was roundly criticized on Twitter, and was asked what he would say if Yousafzai wanted to teach in the province.
Mr. Roberge, how would you respond if Mme Yousafzai wanted to become a teacher in Quebec?
—@salimvaljiI’m sure that you didn’t mention how your government has banned her from teaching in Quebec right? You go against everything she stands for, you hypocrite.
—@Captain_Crash83Roberge responded: "I would certainly tell her it would be an immense honour and that in Quebec, as in France ... as well as in other open and tolerant countries, teachers can't wear religious signs while performing their duties."
Quebec's legislature adopted the legislation banning public sector workers such as teachers, police officers and Crown prosecutors from wearing religious symbols on the job last month.
The Pakistani-born Yousafzai won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for her work in supporting the right of young girls to get an education.