Opinion: Let's not tarnish Montreal's image as a tolerant city

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Allison Hanes’s recent column on the reaction to a new welcome sign at city hall highlights an unfortunate truth: Bill 21 and the sentiments that underpin it may well be characteristic of the Coalition Avenir Québec government, but they feel alarmingly out of place in a progressive city like Montreal.

As Hanes noted, Mayor Valérie Plante has often promoted inclusivity and diversity, and Montreal has long been a proud melting pot of identities. When the province adopted its so-called secularism bill, Plante spoke out against it. And yet now here she was, publicly stating her intention to have the artwork at city hall — depicting a woman in a hijab, among others — removed as soon as possible.

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By aligning with CAQ ideals, even subtly, the mayor seems to be signalling a shift that risks making the city appear less welcoming and open. She risks diluting the city’s character — one that celebrates, rather than polices, the diverse expressions of its residents.

The focus should be on fostering a city that embraces all Montrealers as they are. Rather than supporting policies that make people feel unwelcome, we should find ways to build bridges, letting Montreal’s true spirit of openness shine through.

Montrealers may not all agree on this law, but many share a common goal: to foster a society that respects everyone equally, rather than one that relegates some to second-class status based on their appearance.

Internationally, Quebec’s stance has generated concern, especially in societies where secularism complements rather than restricts personal freedoms. The Guardian, New York Times and human rights organizations like Human Rights Watch have drawn attention to Bill 21 as appearing incongruent with values of inclusion and individual liberty, spotlighting Quebec as a region that feels increasingly out of step with global views on religious freedom.

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By enshrining religious restrictions in law, Quebec risks gaining a reputation that is less progressive and more exclusionary on the world stage. This shift should be especially troubling for Montreal, a city that prides itself on its cosmopolitan identity and often acts as Quebec’s cultural and economic ambassador to the world.

Hanes captures what many within Quebec and beyond can agree on: This law sends a message that is divisive rather than unifying. A truly secular society doesn’t isolate individuals based on visible markers of their identity, nor does it pit communities against each other. For many Muslim Quebecers, Bill 21 has created an environment where discrimination feels not only permitted but sanctioned, with the majority of Muslim women reporting increased fear and anxiety since the law was passed. The legislation is seen by many as an affront to the values of freedom and dignity that Canada, and indeed Montreal, have long stood for.

Montrealers are rightly proud of the city’s tradition of diversity, but Bill 21 risks undermining this reputation and turning those feelings of pride into shame. As the world watches, Quebec has a choice: to embrace the global trend toward inclusion or to cling to policies that limit the vibrancy and openness that make Montreal a unique and beloved city.

Lindi Ross is a certified personal and professional coach and family life educator living in Carignan.

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