根據加拿大魁北克省10日公布的「魁北克價值憲章」，省政府擬禁止公務人員穿戴穆斯林頭巾、猶太教小帽或其他明顯的宗教象徵物，表示此憲章目的是要鞏固魁北克宗教中立的社會。

在法語占主導地位的魁北克省，政府支持獨立，表示「魁北克價值憲章」將能幫助這裡的8百萬民眾創造一個明確的身分認同。

▲魁北克政府網站公告中，以圖示說明「魁北克價值憲章」草案中規定不可穿戴的宗教象徵物，圖攝於2013年9月10日。（圖文／路透）

反對者表示，此憲章侵害了魁北克省的民權，這個地區多年來早已為了適應少數宗教群體而引發緊張情勢，尤其是針對那些移民社群中的少數宗教群體。

許多宗教團體和政治領導者反對此憲章；即使魁北克省議會通過這個憲章，它也將在加拿大最高法院受到法律挑戰。

這項禁止明顯十字架、穆斯林婦女頭巾、全臉面紗、罩袍、男性頭巾以及猶太教小帽的禁令，將適用於教師、警察、公務人員、醫院職員、法官及獄卒等職群。

根據官方文件，憲章准許民眾配戴不引人注意的宗教象徵物，例如小十字架或大衛之星戒指，但不得配戴面紗、大十字架及圓頂小帽。

至少就文件所述範疇來看，這個憲章的規範要比法國2004年的禁令來的更廣。法國2004年一項法令，禁止民眾在學校裡佩戴宗教象徵物。2011年法國頒布公眾場所禁止穿戴伊斯蘭全罩面紗的禁令後，民眾爆發抗議，這項禁令也讓法國境內5百萬名穆斯林中的許多人感到疏離。

▲一名反對魁北克價值憲章的抗議者拿著標語，上面寫著「我不在乎你頭上戴了什麼，我在乎的是你頭腦裡的東西」，圖攝於2013年9月14日。（圖／路透）

負責這項提案的魁北克官員德倫維爾表示，如果一個省分是宗教中立，那為其工作的人員應該也要保持宗教中立。

「這便是魁北克政府提出這項禁令、禁止公立機關人員在值班時穿戴明顯宗教象徵物的原因。」他在10日的新聞記者會中表示。

「我們所指的是那些相當明顯、清楚傳達『我是信教者，而這是我的信仰』訊息的宗教象徵物。」

魁北克朝著世俗社會前進的趨勢與加拿大其他地區的多元文化作法大相逕庭，其他地區都鼓勵社群保持其信仰和傳統。

蒙特婁穆斯林協會會長艾爾曼亞威表示，魁人黨此舉是要讓魁北克民眾針鋒相對，並與聯邦政府產生衝突。

「他們並不是真心為廣大民眾的福祉著想，許多男女很可能會因此失去工作、或得離開這個省份。」他說。

他補充，魁北克35萬名穆斯林中，有很大一部分在日間托兒所工作，或擔任教師及護理人員。

「他們正試圖抹滅宗教自由、並強加法令在宗教價值上。」猶太組織「聖約之子會」魁北克分部主席李文說。

▲一位抗議者戴著頭巾、手持大型十字架及宗教書籍，圖攝於2013年9月14日。（圖文／路透）

魁北克在1960年代之前都受到羅馬天主教會大力主導；教會經營健康照護和教育機構，對於公共及私人生活具有極大影響力。

往後的10年中，教會的影響力令社會感到窒息，新生代從政者對他們眼前所見感到沮喪，於是著手推動改革、削減教會地位。

但就在天主教勢力衰微之時，其他宗教引發的緊張情勢則高漲。由於魁北克有超過10％人口是外來移民，社會開始探討這個省分對外來者的包容該有多少。

德倫維爾說，各機構可申請免除憲章規範5年，但並未說明更多細節。政府將待公眾評論一陣子之後，於今年稍晚公布正式草案。

魁北克1960年代的政治變革促成了分離主義的魁人黨成立，這個政黨主張魁北克應脫離加拿大獨立。魁北克的分離主義省政府曾在1980年和1995年舉行兩次獨立公投，不過兩次投票都以失敗收場。

位於渥太華、並由保守黨主政的聯邦政府表示，將要求司法部研讀此憲章，並將反對任何違背憲法的法律。

▲一名參加魁北克價值憲章抗議活動的穆斯林女性拿著寫有「保持冷靜並穿戴頭巾」的海報，圖攝於2013年9月14日。（圖文／路透）

「很顯然的，魁北克分離主義省政府是想挑起與聯邦政府的爭執，不論何時、針對什麼議題。」加拿大負責多元文化融合的移民部長肯尼說。

加拿大最高法院曾在2006年的一項判決中，暗示其對於宗教象徵物的看法；當時法庭判定，正統錫克教學生能配戴傳統短刀「吉爾班」到學校。

德倫維爾說，魁北克省議會內的大十字架將予以保留，因為它已成為魁北克歷史的一部份。他補充道，辦公室內也能放置聖誕樹，因為這能反映魁北克省的文化。（路透）

The Canadian province of Quebec will not allow public servants to wear Muslim headscarves, Jewish skullcaps or other obvious religious symbols under the Charter of Quebec values unveiled on Tuesday that is designed to cement a secular（1） society.

The pro-independence government of the predominantly French-speaking province says its Charter of Quebec Values will help create a distinct identity for its 8 million people.

Opponents say it infringes（2） on civil liberties in a part of Canada that has already seen years of tension over accommodation for religious minorities, particularly those from immigrant communities.

Religious groups and many political leaders oppose the charter, which will face legal challenges at the Supreme Court of Canada, assuming the provincial legislature approves it.

The ban on prominent crucifixes, hijabs, niqabs, burqas, turbans（3） and the Jewish yarmulkes would apply to groups such as teachers, police officers, civil servants, hospital staff, judges and prison workers.

Official documents give the nod to discreet religious symbols, such as a small crucifix or a ring with the Star of David, but not to veils, large crucifixes or turbans.

On paper at least, the charter is more sweeping than a 2004 French law banning religious symbols in schools. Protests erupted in 2011 after France banned full face Islamic veils in public, alienating many of its 5 million Muslims.

Bernard Drainville said that if the state is neutral, then those who work for it must be neutral too.

"That's why the government of Quebec is proposing to ban public employees from wearing ostentatious（4） religious symbols during work hours," he said at a news conference on Tuesday.

"We're talking about very obvious symbols ... which send a clear message: 'I am a believer and this is my religion.'"

Quebec's drive toward a secular society contrasts with a multicultural approach elsewhere in Canada, which encourages different communities to keep their faiths and traditions.

Salam Elmenyawi, president of the Muslim Council of Montreal, said the Parti Quebecois was trying to pit Quebecers against each other and start a fight with the federal government.

"They are not really concerned at all about the well-being of the very large number of men and women who may lose their jobs or leave the province," he said.

A large number of the 350,000 Muslims in Quebec work in day-care centers or as teachers or nurses, he added.

"They're trying to remove religious freedoms. They're trying to impose rules on religious values," said Harvey Levine, president of the Quebec branch of the Jewish organization B'nai Brith.

Until the early 1960s, Quebec was heavily dominated by a Roman Catholic Church that ran the health care and education systems and wielded huge influence over public and private life.

Over the next decade, a new generation of politicians, frustrated by what they saw as the stifling influence of the church, pushed through reforms shrinking its role.

Yet as Catholicism's influence waned, tensions grew over other religions. More than 10 percent of Quebec's population is foreign-born, prompting a debate over how tolerant the province should be toward outsiders.

Drainville said institutions could apply for a five-year exemption（5） from the charter, but gave few details. The government will unveil formal draft legislation later this year after a period of public comment.

The political changes of the 1960s helped create the separatist Parti Quebecois, which wants Quebec to break away from the rest of Canada. Separatist governments have held two referendums on independence, in 1980 and 1995. Both failed.

In Ottawa, the federal Conservative government said it would ask the justice ministry to study the charter and would challenge any law it deemed to be unconstitutional.

"Obviously the separatist government in Quebec would like to pick a fight with the federal government any time on any issue," said Jason Kenney, the minister in charge of multiculturalism.

Canada's Supreme Court gave an indication of its view of religious symbols in a 2006 decision that allowed orthodox Sikh students to carry kirpans, traditional daggers, to school.

Drainville said a large crucifix in the National Assembly would stay in place, since it was part of Quebec's history. Christmas trees would be allowed in offices because they reflected the province's culture, he added.（Reuters）

1.secular（a.）世俗的，非宗教的

2.infringe（v.）侵害

3.turban（n.）穆斯林頭巾

4.ostentatious（a.）豪華的

5.exemption（n.）免除義務