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Montreal’s mayor says a welcome sign depicting a woman wearing a veil that adorns a lobby at city hall will be taken down in the name of secularism.

Valérie Plante said during a talk show that aired Sunday night that the image of the woman wearing a hijab will be removed because of the “discomfort” it causes but also because institutions must strive to be secular.

The welcome sign, as well as a photo in a public library of a young girl wearing a headscarf, has been criticized in the media, and the Parti Québécois has said the two images show that religion has begun invading the public sphere.

Plante told Radio-Canada talk show “Tout le monde en parle” that she understands the discomfort with the welcome sign, adding that it’s possible to promote diversity as well as secularism.

The subject of religion in the public sphere has resurfaced in recent weeks after 11 teachers were suspended at a Montreal public elementary school over allegations of toxicity and creeping religious instruction.

The mayor’s office said today it had nothing further to add about Plante’s appearance on the talk show, which came just days after she announced she wouldn’t seek a third term as mayor in next year’s elections.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 28, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

OTTAWA – Former senator Mobina Jaffer says she was told by the Sudanese intelligence director that he felt Canadian officials had asked him to detain Montreal man Abousfian Abdelrazik.

Jaffer, who retired from the Senate earlier this year, testified today in Federal Court in Abdelrazik’s lawsuit against Ottawa over his detention and alleged torture in Sudanese custody two decades ago.

She recalled her September 2004 meeting in Sudan with Salah Gosh, who was then the director of the country’s intelligence service.

Jaffer, Canada’s special envoy for peace in Sudan at the time, said Gosh told her Canada thought Abdelrazik was a terrorist and wanted him to find out if he was indeed an extremist.

She said Gosh informed her Sudanese intelligence tried “all kinds of ways” to find out, but was completely satisfied he was not a terrorist, and that it was time for Canada to take him back.

Jaffer said it was no secret the intelligence service used brutal methods, so she immediately knew that Abdelrazik did not have a pleasant experience in custody.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 28, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

MONTREAL – The Parti Québécois says it would lean on robots and automation to replace temporary workers as part of a detailed proposal to cut immigration to Quebec.

Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon says it’s a lie that immigration can fix labour shortages, adding that Quebec should instead follow the lead of countries like Japan and China that have invested heavily in robotics and artificial intelligence.

The sovereigntist opposition party wants to cut the number of non-permanent residents in the province to 250,000 or 300,000, down from 600,000 today.

In a policy paper published this morning, the party says it would create a special fund for the automation of sectors affected by labour shortages, including manufacturing and retail.

St-Pierre Plamondon says Quebec’s existing immigration system puts pressure on housing and threatens the French language, and he also wants to cut the number of permanent immigrants to Quebec to 35,000 from 50,000 annually.

The PQ leader says Quebec will only attain a viable immigration model if the province achieves independence from Canada.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 28, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.