By Canadian Press

State has no place in the wardrobes of the nation: Trudeau

Oct 18, 2019 | 10:31 AM

WHITBY, Ont. — Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is refusing to say whether he thinks the Quebec secularism law is discriminatory, even as he says governments should not tell people how to dress.

“I have made it very clear that I do not think that a government should be telling people what it is they should or shouldn’t wear, but Quebecers themselves are taking this law to court and defending the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, as is their right,” Trudeau said during a campaign stop Friday at a baby store in Whitby, Ont.

It was the second day in a row Trudeau did not answer a direct question about whether he thinks the Quebec secularism law, also known as Bill 21, is discriminatory.

“I have said that my federal government would not intervene at this stage, but I also have not closed the door to intervening at a later stage,” Trudeau said.

“Because we understand that a federal government always needs to be there, potentially, to defend rights, like women’s rights, like LGBT rights, like minority rights, like the rights of francophones outside of Quebec,” he said.

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The controversial secularism law — known as Bill 21 — bans some public-sector employees, including teachers and police officers, from wearing religious symbols in the workplace, such as hijabs for Muslim women and yarmulkes for Jewish men.

The law is overwhelmingly popular among francophones in Quebec.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault, who leads a self-proclaimed nationalist government under the banner of the centre-right Coalition Avenir Quebec, has said the law is legitimate and reflects the will of the French-speaking majority.

The Quebec government also invoked the notwithstanding clause in the Constitution to avoid having the law struck down as a violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Trudeau is campaigning in the Greater Toronto Area today, one of the most seat-rich regions in the country and where more than half the residents are visible minorities.

Earlier on Friday, Trudeau stopped in Markham, Ont., where he signed a shovel to indicate his support for the Yonge subway extension, unbeknownst to the media covering the Liberal campaign, who are travelling on a separate bus.

Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti, who has called on all federal party leaders to commit to starting construction on the extension before the next election should they hold power after the Oct. 21 vote, shared a video of Trudeau signing the shovel on Twitter.

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer also committed to extension earlier this month.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s $28.5-billion transit expansion plan includes $5.6 billion for the Yonge extension. Ford has said he wants the federal government to join Toronto and York Region to help pay for it, but has conceded the province will foot the bill if needed.

The expanded Yonge line would add 7.4 kilometres of new light rail that would connect Toronto to the fast-growing regions of Richmond Hill, Markham and Vaughan.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 18, 2019.

Joanna Smith, The Canadian Press