Content
Skip to Main ContentAccessibility Help
The Current

Women divided over the Charter of Values

Maria Mourani was one of just four Bloc Quebecois MP's in the House of Commons. Until she quit the party after taking a stand against Quebec's proposed Charter of Values. Many women in Quebec say if the charter goes ahead, they'll be stripped of their freedoms. But others say the Charter actually protects women's rights....
CBC Radio ·
The Current22:00Women divided over Quebec's Charter of Values - Oct 4, 2013
Maria Mourani was one of just four Bloc Quebecois MP's in the House of Commons. Until she quit the party after taking a stand against Quebec's proposed Charter of Values. Many women in Quebec say if the charter goes ahead, they'll be stripped of their freedoms. But others say the Charter actually protects women's rights.


The proposed Charter of Quebec Values has divided the province's women's movement

When Quebec's government unveiled its Charter of Quebec Values, Premier Pauline Marois hoped it would unite Quebecers. It hasn't even united factions. Francophones are divided on the charter. So are sovereignists. Muslims and Christians, they're split as well.

Most recently, the charter has caused divisions in provincial women's groups. And former PQ premier Jacques Parizeau suggests the Charter of Values .... isn't consistent with the values of Quebec.

"Can we all just consider this, the consequences of having a bill that effectively bans a religious item from a group of women. Because that's what this is, and that is not something we normally do".Jacques Parizeau speaking with 98.5 FM Radio in Montreal yesterday.

The proposed charter has even prompted one Bloc MP to quit her party and question the values of the sovereignty movement itself.

  • Maria Mourani, the former Bloc Quebecois Member of Parliament was tossed from caucus after she signed an open letter against the charter. She subsequently quit the party, and now sits as an independent MP. She was the only Montreal MP elected under the Bloc banner. And the only woman.

  • Alexa Conradi is the president of the FFQ, the Federations des Femmes de Quebec.

  • Yolande Geadah is an award winning author of the book, Reasonable Accommodations.

Make your voice heard on this issue. Share your thoughts.

Tweet us @thecurrentcbc. Follow us on Facebook. Or e-mail us through our website. Call us toll-free at 1 877 287 7366. And as always if you missed anything on The Current, grab a podcast.

This segment was produced by The Current's Pacinthe Mattar and Montreal Network Producer, Susan Mckenzie.

More from this episode