A poll suggests that support for Quebec’s law on state secularism has declined, although a majority of respondents continue to support it.
According to an online survey conducted by Léger for the Association for Canadian Studies, 55% of respondents say they are in favor of banning the wearing of religious symbols by teachers.
In September, support for the law stood at 64%, according to another firm poll.
According to the president of the Association for Canadian Studies, Jack Jedwab, this drop can be attributed to recent debates raised in particular by the case of a teacher from the Outaouais whose class was withdrawn because she contravened the law by wearing the veil.
Various opponents of the law then urged the federal government to support the various legal challenges. This case prompted mayors in English Canada to pledge to help these protests.
The survey was conducted online Jan. 7-9 among 1,547 Canadians aged 18 and older.
The Canadian Marketing Research and Intelligence Council says that a margin of error cannot be assigned to an online survey because they are not a random sample of the population.
In December, the Western Quebec School Board assigned Grade 3 teacher Fatemeh Anvari to non-teaching duties because she was wearing a hijab. This had aroused the ire of the other side of the Outaouais.
Jedwab believes the incident has shed new light on the real impact of the law that was once seen as rather symbolic.
“When you see a person wearing the hijab no longer able to teach, I think that has contributed to this drop in support,” he comments.
Premier François Legault often reminded those outside the province who intended to challenge the law that it received strong public support.
Mr Jedwab says the poll results may suggest that this support is eroding, although it is still too early to ascertain whether the decline is a temporary reaction to Ms Anvari’s case.
Linguistic and generational division
The poll indicates that the first dividing lines between supporters and opponents are linguistic and generational.
Thus, 59% of Francophone respondents say they are “totally” or “somewhat” in favor of banning religious symbols visible to teachers. Among English-speaking respondents, this support plummets to 26%.
Among Quebecers, respondents aged 65 to 74 support the ban the most at 73.9%, compared to only 27.8% of those aged 18 to 24.
Across the country, one in three respondents said they were in favor of the ban, compared to 55% opposed and 12% undecided.
A majority of respondents, even in Quebec, believe it is important for the Supreme Court of Canada to look into the matter.
But an intervention by the federal government before the Supreme Court divides opinion more. Such an action is supported by 39% of respondents against 29% who oppose it.
In Quebec, a majority of respondents disapprove of federal government intervention, 42% versus 37%.