Pluralists 2.0 Against the “Charter of Quebec Values”
In the fall of 2013, Professor Fournier has participated in several initiatives by a group of Quebec professors and intellectuals mobilized for the cause of social and religious pluralism. This group, called “Pluralists 2.0”, is made up of specialists of law, sociology, philosophy, political science and religious studies. The group was initially formed to react to the “Charter of Quebec Values”, a document put forward by the Quebec government proposing inter alia the legislative ban of “ostentatious” religious symbols among all provincial public employees.
The Pluralists 2.0 have laid their expertise to bear on the Charter of Quebec Values’ fragile legal and philosophical foundations. According to the members of the group, this project is unconstitutional and ill advised and would have negative consequences on Quebec society if it were adopted. The Pluralists call on the Quebec government to abandon its legislative project and instead commit to promoting state neutrality that is respectful of the rights of minorities and individuals.
On this page you will find links to the profile pages of members of the group, as well as their media interventions related to the “Charter of Quebec Values”.
Articles Published in Newspapers
Pascale Fournier, “Les fonctionnaires sont déjà neutres” , La Presse, January 22, 2014.
Pascale Fournier, “Quebec’s Multiculturalism Debate” , The New York Times, January 17, 2014.
Sébastien Grammond, Pascale Fournier, Jean-François Gaudreault-Desbiens, Pierre Bosset and Louis-Philippe Lampron, “Une interdiction invalide”, Le Journal de Québec, September 15, 2013, also published in Le Journal de Montréal (September 15, 2013), Le Droit (September 23, 2013) and Le Soleil (September 27, 2013).
David Koussens, “Contre-vérités et manipulations de la laïcité”, Le Soleil, September 24, 2013.
Jean-François Gaudreault-Desbiens, Sébastien Grammond, Pascale Fournier and Pierre Bosset, “Une Charte des valeurs québécoises redondante, ambigüe et inefficiente”, Huffington Post Québec, September 23, 2013.
David Koussens and Valérie Amiraux, “Laïcité: gare aux illusions”, Le Huffington Post Québec, September 18, 2013.
Pascale Fournier, “Notre regard partial”, La Presse, September 16, 2013.
Pierre Bosset, “Réflexions d’un juriste sur l’idée d’interdire le port de signes religieux aux agents de l’État”, Vivre Ensemble, Centre justice et foi Webzine, Summer 2013.
Radio and TV Interviews
Pascale Fournier
“La charte des valeurs québécoises” , Radio-Canada, Le Téléjournal Ottawa-Gatineau (Mathieu Nadon), January 14, 2014 (from 25:30).
“La charte des valeurs québécoises” , Radio-Canada Ontario, Le midi trente Ontario (Michel Picard), January 14, 2014.
“La charte des valeurs québécoises”, Radio-Canada Ontario, Le midi trente Ontario (Caroline Bourdua), September 11, 2013.
“La charte des valeurs québécoises”, Radio Haïtienne de Montréal CPAM, L’Après-Midi Express (Pierre-Michel Bolivard), September 11, 2013.
“La charte des valeurs québécoises: Les implications juridiques et sociales”, Radio-Canada, Pas de midi sans info (Jacques Beauchamp), September 10, 2013.
Interviews for Newspaper Articles
Pascale Fournier
“Le projet de charte passera-t-il le test des tribunaux?”, Radio-Canada, September 13, 2013.
Louise Leduc and Hugo Pilon-Larose, “Charte des valeurs québécoises. Réactions. Des critiques et des louanges”, La Presse, September 11, 2013.
Members of Pluralists 2.0
Valérie Amiraux, Department of Sociology, Université de Montréal
Luc Bégin, Faculty of Philosophy, Université Laval
Pierre Bosset, Faculty of Law, Université du Québec à Montréal
Marc-Antoine Dilhac, Department of Philosophy, Université de Montréal
Pascale Fournier, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa
Alain-G. Gagnon, Department of Political Science, Université du Québec à Montréal
Jean-François Gaudreault-Desbiens, Faculty of Law, Université de Montréal
Stephan Gervais, Quebec Studies Program, McGill University
Sébastien Grammond, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa
Dimitrios Karmis, School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa
David Koussens, Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies, Université de Sherbrooke
Louis-Philippe Lampron, Faculty of Law, Université Laval
Georges Leroux, Department of Philosophy, Université du Québec à Montréal
Dominique Leydet, Department of Philosophy, Université du Québec à Montréal
Jocelyn Maclure, Faculty of Philosophy, Université Laval
Geneviève Nootens, Department of Political Science, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi
Martin Papillon, School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa
Patrick Turmel, Faculty of Philosophy, Université Laval
Daniel Weinstock, Faculty of Law, McGill University