Last night, Surrey City Council unanimously supported a motion that supports in principle the legal challenge against the discrimination of freedom of religion as set out in Quebec’s Bill 21.
Bill 21 was introduced in Quebec last June that prevents public sector workers from wearing religious symbols in the workplace. The ban includes employees at public schools (teachers), judges, police officers, and government lawyers.
“One of the three Surrey Board of Trade values are inclusion – that means valuing each and every person, and their backgrounds – in our workplaces,” said Anita Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of Trade.
“The Surrey Board of Trade itself has a workforce that celebrates our own religious backgrounds.”
Surrey has 104 different languages that are spoken. This is our strength in this global economy.
Surrey’s business community needs to continue to have thoughtful and deliberate discussions and actions to cultivate inclusive workplace environments – this will make diversity work to bring us together, not to separate us.
-30-
