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Secularism Media Scan
This webpage offers a database of English-language news stories about secularism, beginning in January 2023. Users can search by date, country of origin, or topic. Top stories are featured at the top of the page.
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03 February 2026
Quebec minister Drainville is consultating on the province's new secularism bill 9 at the National Assembly. The new secularism bill strengthens secularism in the education system and public services.
By CBC News
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All News
Title | Date | Journal | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
Quebec teachers union joins Supreme Court challenge to Bill 21 | 30/04/2024 | Montreal Gazette | This article examines how the Fédération autonome de l’enseignement (FAE), which represents over 66,000 teachers in nine unions, has teamed up with the English Montreal School Board to challenge Bill 21 at the Supreme Court of Canada. The FAE expressed their opposition to the Quebec government’s use of the notwithstanding clause, which protects the law from legal challenges based on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The FAE wants the Supreme Court to review the verdict of the Quebec Court of Appeal that upheld Bill 21. |
More groups join fight against Quebec’s controversial secularism law | 30/04/2024 | Global News | This article describes how the CEO of the National Council of Canadian Muslims, Stephen Brown, has criticized Quebec's secularism law, calling it cruel and dehumanizing. He argues that Bill 21 is preventing some religious minorities from pursuing educational professions. The National Council of Canadian Muslims and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association are taking the matter to Canada's Supreme Court, claiming that Bill 21 is exacerbating social tensions in Quebec. |
Supreme Court notice on plea to allow people who have left Islam to inherit under secular rather than sharia law | 29/04/2024 | The Hindu | This article discusses how the Supreme Court has sought a response from the Union Government on a petition filed by a woman based in Kerala. The woman, P.M. Safiya, who was born a Muslim, has stated that she is now a non-believer and should be governed by secular statutes rather than Sharia law. The three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, has issued formal notices to the Union Government and the State of Kerala. The case has been posted for detailed hearing in July. |
Teachers union joins bid to have Supreme Court rule on Quebec religious symbols ban | 29/04/2024 | CTV News | This article examines that a significant teachers union in Quebec, the Federation autonome de l'enseignement (FAE), has announced its intention to challenge the province's secularism law before the Supreme Court of Canada, following the lead of the English Montreal School Board. The FAE opposes the use of the Constitution's notwithstanding clause by the Quebec government to prevent Charter challenges against the law. The union has released a statement expressing its disagreement with the law, which prohibits public sector workers in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols while working. |
Gabriel Attal accused of swinging to far-right territory | 29/04/2024 | Report News Agency | This article examines the controversy surrounding Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and the accusations that he is traditionally associated with the far-right territory within politics. |
Paris suburbs get spanking new Olympic venues while teachers and pupils seethe in decrepit schools | 28/04/2024 | France 24 | This article reports on the recent protests by teachers and parents in Paris against the Paris Olympics. They are calling for immediate action to address various issues. The protests have been ongoing for several weeks and highlight the severity of the situation, even though the government has allocated millions to reduce social inequality and uphold France's secular values. These measures include the implementation of uniforms and the banning of abayas. |
Quebec unveils $603 million five-year plan to protect French language | 28/04/2024 | Global News | This article describes how Quebec's Minister Jean-François Roberge presented a $603-million plan to protect and promote the French language. The plan includes 21 measures to monitor language trends, improve students' French mastery, and boost the French cultural offering. The Quebec government aims to reverse the decline of the French with this new plan. |
Subjecting the CAA Rule to proportionality | 28/04/2024 | The Leaflet | This article discusses constitutional challenges to India's Citizenship Amendment Act over citizenship, naturalization, and religion. The Act has faced opposition due to its residency requirements and exclusion of certain religions, such as Islam. |
Congress promoting reservation on religious lines, says PM Modi in Goa | 27/04/2024 | The Weekly Voice | This article describes how Prime Minister Modi accused Congress & allies of promoting religious reservation for vote-bank politics. He expressed confidence in winning elections with BJP's approach to advance values of secularism and social justice. |
France's PM stands with teachers after school chief quits in hijab row | 26/04/2024 | MSN | This article describes how the Prime Minister of France defended French secularism after a school principal in Paris resigned due to death threats. The principal had asked a student to remove her Muslim veil on school premises, leading to false accusations against the headmaster. Attal stated that the state would file a complaint against the student for falsely accusing the headmaster of mistreatment to uphold and maintain secular values. |
Islamic mortgages are a major obstacle to state secularism | 26/04/2024 | Actual News Magazine | This article questions the Canadian government's announcement regarding Islamic banking laws and loans and highlights concerns raised by Tarek Fatah. It argues that such loans could impose interpretations of the Islamic prohibition of ribâ, which would benefit the financiers. It highlights the community pressure by the Muslim community with the growing secular values across Canada. |
Can’t divide religions for votes in Goa | 25/04/2024 | The Times of India | This article reports on the recent statements made by Pramod Sawant, the Chief Minister of Goa, India. He reassured the public that Goan identity would be preserved against the efforts to divide religion for political motives. |
Low voting turnout is the cause of Muslim disempowerment in India | 25/04/2024 | Muslim Mirror | This article explains the increasing centralization of power in India's union government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP's consolidation of political, economic, and legal policies. Despite the increasing number of Hindu voters, there is still a significant disparity between the voter turnout of Hindus and Muslims, with Muslims feeling increasingly marginalized during elections. |
Michaela School prayer ban: allowing for religious diversity in education is a tradition in England | 24/04/2024 | The Conversation | This article reports that a Muslim student at Michaela School in London has failed to challenge the school's ban on prayer rituals in the High Court. The school argued that the ban was implemented to prevent prayers from "undermining inclusion." Although the school's headteacher, Katharine Birbalsingh, described the ruling as a victory, she refuses to accommodate the needs of religious groups at a school, does not necessarily create inclusivity, and permitting religious diversity is a tradition in education in England. |
Are Islamic mortgages compatible with Quebec-style secularism? | 23/04/2024 | Actual News Magazine | This article explores the possibility of the Canadian banking system introducing "Islamic mortgages," as proposed in the budget presented by the Trudeau government. The article also mentions the controversy surrounding Paul St-Pierre Plamondon's statement opposing the new mortgages, which has been criticized as being anachronistic. |
The Bloc’s fake freakout over halal mortgages is ridiculous | 22/04/2024 | The Globe and Mail | This article describes the tension between the advancement of secularism and the introduction of halal mortgages. The Bloc Québécois is opposing a proposal in last week's budget to expand access to halal mortgages and other alternative financing products. Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet and his MPs warned that this proposal would set Canada and Quebec on a slippery slope into sharia law. |
Prayer rituals in schools remain a divisive issue | 22/04/2024 | The Guardian | This article explains how the Michaela Community School in London has announced its secular status and removed all religious affiliations to focus on results. Although some argue that promoting students' spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development can only be achieved through religion, the school prevents parents from challenging its policy after signing up their children. |
Modi accused of ‘hate speech’ toward India’s Muslims in election rally | 22/04/2024 | The Washington Post | This article discusses the accusations of "hate speech" against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi by his political opponents. During an election rally, Modi allegedly made comments that seemed to portray Muslims as taking the wealth of other Indians, which sparked outrage and criticism. The incident has brought attention to the issue of religious tensions in India and raised concerns about the use of inflammatory rhetoric in political campaigning. |
Why Canada is considering option of halal mortgages | 21/04/2024 | Toronto Star | This article reports that the federal government of Canada is planning to introduce financial tools for Muslim Canadians. They announced they would explore measures to expand access to alternative financing products, including halal mortgages. However, the proposal to consider products like halal mortgages has already drawn criticism from the Bloc Québécois, who is arguing that Canada is a secular country and that the integration of religious ideologies should not be allowed in the public sphere. |
New French-language commercial signage rules continue to cause concern for Que. businesse | 20/04/2024 | CTV News | his article explores the impact of Quebec's language law on businesses operating in the province. The government's efforts to protect the French language have come under criticism from various economic organizations. They have written an open letter to the Legault government, urging them to reconsider these measures. The organizations argue that the language law could have adverse effects on the business community and Quebec's economy. |
France to sue teenager for falsely accusing teacher of hitting her in row over headscarf | 20/04/2024 | MSN | This article reports that French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal has announced that the state will file a lawsuit against a teenage girl who falsely accused her school headteacher of hitting her after she was asked to remove her hijab. The incident has sparked a heated debate in France, where the government is trying to assess what accounts for an encroachment of religious values in public institutions. |
Amit Shah says there is no need to remove 'secular' from Constitution | 19/04/2024 | India Today | This article explains Amit Shah's recent statement that there is no need to remove the word 'secular' from the Indian Constitution. According to Shah, the BJP's goal is to make the country secular, which is why they are advocating for the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). |
Has Europe abandoned its Christian roots? | 19/04/2024 | La Croix | This article discusses the political debates over Europe's Christian roots. The most recent controversy occurred in December 2021 when the European Commission urged citizens to use a more inclusive phrase than "Happy Christmas." |
Birbalsingh is right: make schools secular | 18/04/2024 | The Sunday Times | This article argues that selecting children based on their faith should be banned, along with prayer. The practice creates a divide among students of different religions, negatively impacting social cohesion. Schools must be inclusive to promote a more cohesive society and uphold secular tenets. |
Michaela school will keep its prayer ban – but as a Muslim teacher I know it doesn’t have to be this way | 17/04/2024 | The Guardian | This article discusses a high court case in which a Muslim student at Michaela community school in Brent, London, lost a challenge to the school's ban on prayer rituals. The school declares itself secular, and the appeal was dismissed on the grounds that the student accepted these restrictions when enrolling. However, the article questions why schools like Michaela are so aggressively secular, particularly when 50% of the children are Muslim/ |
Death of Secularism | 16/04/2024 | Sri Lanka Guardian | This article discusses Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's affiliation with a Hindu-supremacist organization called Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), which is concerned with the lack of secular values being respected by the government. Citizens are concerned about the government's disregard for secular values and aim to establish a party and leader with Hindu supremacist ideologies to rebuild a golden Hindu civilization. |
You are on the right track with language and secularism policies, French PM tells Quebec | 15/04/2024 | Montreal Gazette | This article describes how the Prime Minister of France, Gabriel Attal, praised Quebec for its ability to survive and thrive as a French-speaking minority in predominantly English-speaking North America. He emphasized the importance of promoting the French language and culture and vowed to support Quebec's efforts to preserve its language with Bill 96. |
Secularism, Friendship and Boundaries...! | 15/04/2024 | Indian Currents | This article discusses the importance of understanding each other's beliefs and boundaries in a secular society. It reflects the pressing concern that Indian secularism represents unity in the face of external threats and religious tension between Islam and Hinduism. |
Ambedkar Slams Mva For Not Fielding Any Muslim Candidate | 14/04/2024 | The Times of India | This article describes VBA chief Prakash Ambedkar's accusations against the match-fixing and fielding of only non-Muslim candidates against the BJP in the upcoming Municipal Corporation elections. Ambedkar also criticized the MVA for not addressing the Dalit community's issues and using their vote bank for political gains. The accusations highlight the growing political tensions in the region. |
India election: with Modi’s BJP ‘hell-bent’ on a massive win, secularism hangs by a thread | 14/04/2024 | South China Morning Post | This article discusses the potential political crisis that India's opposition may face if it loses more ground to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the upcoming elections. BJP leaders have hinted at making significant changes in the constitution in their third term, including the possibility of declaring a 'Hindu Raj'. Such a move could have far-reaching implications for India's secular identity and could potentially spark controversy and protests. |
Quebec 'not alone' in commitment to secularism, says French Prime Minister Attal | 12/04/2024 | The Canadian Press | This article describes how French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal expressed strong support for Quebec's secularism policy during his visit to the province and in light of the ESMB hoping to bring their case against Bill 21 to the Supreme Court of Canada. |
Minister defends secularism legislation | 12/04/2024 | Toronto Star | This articles describes how Quebec's justice minister, Simon Jolin-Barrette, has vowed to defend the province's secularism law after the English Montreal School Board announced its intention to appeal a decision upholding the law. Jolin-Barrette emphasized that the state and religions are separate in Quebec. |
French PM talks language, secularism, strong ties in speech to Quebec legislature | 11/04/2024 | The Canadian Press | This article explains how the French Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal, addressed Quebec's legislature regarding its commitment to secularism. He praised Quebec's resilience and support of state secularism, personal freedoms, freedom of expression, and the fight against climate change. Attal's speech focused on youth, highlighting the bravery of young Quebecers and emphasizing the ongoing exchange of young students between Quebec and France. |
Montreal school board brings Bill 21 challenge to Supreme Court | 11/04/2024 | CBC | This article explains how the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) is challenging Quebec's secularism law in the Supreme Court of Canada. The law, known as Bill 21, discriminates against religious minorities and disproportionately targets Muslim women. The move comes after the Quebec Superior Court upheld most of the law's provisions last year, including a ban on public employees wearing religious symbols at work. |
In Tamil Nadu, BJP is a keyboard warrior | 10/04/2024 | The Hindu | This article reports on the statement made by the DMK's candidate for Chennai Central regarding the BJP's digital teams' attempts to exaggerate the party's image and go against secular values in India. |
Montreal school board to ask Supreme Court to hear appeal of Quebec secularism law | 10/04/2024 | CTV News | This article reports that the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) had been exempted from Bill 21, a legislation that bars people in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols, but a recent appeal panel has rejected this analysis. The board has voted in favour of a motion to bring the challenge to the Supreme Court. |
Quebec Bill 21: EMSB to explore next steps in legal battle | 09/04/2024 | City News Montreal | This article explains the legal battle between the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) and the Quebec government over Bill 21, the secularism law. The EMSB is meeting to decide its next steps after the Quebec Court of Appeal ruling earlier this year that the law is constitutional, overturning a lower court ruling. The law prohibits public sector workers in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols. The EMSB has been unable to hire teachers who wear religious symbols since the 2021 ruling, and the board's chair has called the decision disappointing and is looking to further the legal battle. |
Why Islam cannot be secular…it was never meant to be | 08/04/2024 | MSN | This article explores the ideologies of Islam in contention with secularism. The concepts of religious tolerance and freedom of belief have been debated by many individuals in Indian society since the changes in the Indian Congress moved towards the growing trend of secular values. |
CAQ government is urged to drop use of notwithstanding clause for Bill 21 | 08/04/2024 | Montreal Gazette | This article is about hearings at the National Assembly in Quebec regarding Bill 52, a proposed legislation that renews the use of the notwithstanding clause for five years. The clause was previously used to protect a law that bars people in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols. The government hopes to have the bill adopted before the legislature recesses in June. |
Yamini Aiyar laments the damage done to Indian democracy under Narendra Modi | 07/04/2024 | The Economist | This article highlights the threat of authoritarianism in India as the country prepares for its 18th general election. The BJP government's aggressive centralisation, and Hindu-nationalist ideologies are presenting themselves as threat to, is eroding India's democracy. |
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