Bill 21: Canada's Controversial Secularism Law Faces Supreme Court Review

Sun Mar 22 2026 04:02:16 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

As the Supreme Court prepares to hear a constitutional challenge to Quebec's secularism law, Muslim women in the province express feelings of alienation and uncertainty about their futures in public sector jobs.

Quebec's Bill 21, a law prohibiting public sector workers from wearing religious symbols, is being challenged in Canada’s Supreme Court. Many Muslim women, including Lisa Robicheau, feel marginalized and uncertain about their job security, as the law has significantly impacted their employment and sense of belonging in Quebec. The Supreme Court's ruling could shape the future of this controversial legislation, which is supported by many in the province but criticized by various civil rights groups.

Since 2019, a secularism law in Quebec has barred some public sector workers, like judges, police officers, and teachers, from wearing religious attire at work. Now, the country's highest court is preparing to consider its future.

Lisa Robicheau describes her life as stuck between a rock and a hard place. The 41-year-old single mother of two, who wears a hijab, works in Montreal's English-language school system as a contract support worker for students with disabilities - a job she loves and where she is exempt from the current law. But Robicheau can't help feeling anxious about her future and whether she will be able to continue working in a public school while being visibly Muslim in Quebec. The uncertainty has led her to enroll back in university, hoping to find a different job—or even leave the province.

I've spent the majority of my life here, but it never feels like home, she told the BBC. I am constantly being treated like an outsider. Robicheau is one of several Muslim women living in Quebec who say their life and work have become increasingly difficult since the law—which bans religious symbols for public employees in positions of authority —was implemented seven years ago.

Proponents of the law—known as Bill 21—have long argued that it upholds secularism and neutrality in Quebec public life, a concept known as laïcité in the majority French-speaking province, and is not intended to discriminate against any one religion. On Monday, the Supreme Court will begin a four-day hearing in Ottawa on a constitutional challenge to Bill 21.

The case was brought by 13 challengers, including the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, the National Council of Canadian Muslims, the World Sikh Organization of Canada, and the English Montreal School Board. The impact on Muslim women has been significant, with a recent study revealing that 73% feel the secularism law has affected their ability to seek employment, with a substantial number considering leaving Quebec.

The law remains popular among a majority of Quebecers, with the government advocating it as a necessary measure for maintaining secular values. As discussions continue around the legislation, it poses critical questions about equality, freedom of religion, and the future of multiculturalism in Quebec.