(Brampton) The City of Brampton, Ont., City Council on Wednesday approved $ 100,000 to be donated to three organizations challenging the validity of the Law on the secularism of the State of Quebec adopted by the National Assembly in June 2019.
Brampton, a municipality of about 650,000 inhabitants located just north of Toronto, would be the first Canadian city to contribute financially to the challenge of Bill 21.
The challenge is led by the National Council of Canadian Muslims and the World Sikh Organization of Canada, two organizations based in Ottawa, as well as by the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, based in Toronto.
The City of Brampton claims to be one of the most diverse Canadian municipalities. By contributing to the challenge of Bill 21, she says she wants to illustrate her support for what diversity brings to local communities and to Canada as a whole.
Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown says Bill 21 is discriminatory and that freedom of religion is a fundamental principle to be fought for.
Mr. Brown is a former leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario; he was Leader of the Official Opposition from 2015 to 2018.
The Brampton City Council adds that it cannot tolerate the defense of religious freedom being done on the backs of racialized communities in the face of the resources it describes as unlimited from the government of Quebec.
He adds that in the absence of the Government of Canada’s involvement, the financial contribution of major Canadian cities can balance forces.
The written resolution adopted by the elected officials of Brampton will also be sent to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and to organizations of Canadian municipalities to invite them in turn to make a contribution to the fight against Law on the secularism of the State of Quebec.