The Parti Québecois (PQ) charter of values has caused an uproar since its introduction by the Quebec government on September 10, 2013. If this charter passes the National Assembly of Quebec, it would essentially ban public employees from wearing religious symbols in all public institutions. Although the PQ assures that this charter would not affect the province’s relations with First Nations and Inuit communities, these two articles (1, 2) are skeptical for the following reasons:

• For many indigenous peoples in Quebec, spirituality is inextricably linked to governance and this would bring them into conflict with the duty of neutrality imposed by the charter.
• The history of Quebec involved suppression of the spiritual expressions of the original inhabitants land and now the PQ wishes to impose these same restrictions on the “settlers.”
• Indigenous peoples are now in a unique position to support their friends (settlers) from other religions such as Muslim and Jews and other religions.

This charter could prohibit Indigenous communities in Quebec from wearing medicine pouches or any “ostentatious” religious symbols during working hours if they are public employees, including teachers and school employees. Up to now the religious symbols of Indigenous peoples’ have been ignored by the government, however this charter is an imposition that goes totally against the attempts by Indigenous peoples to preserve their culture, beliefs, and traditions for future generations.