Summary
The decision to replace the former religious and moral education courses with a single compulsory course on ethics and religious culture (ERC) was made in 2005 and took place in the context of measures taken by the government to secularize Québec’s school system,. The Commission examined the issue of whether the ERC course infringed the right to full and equal recognition (section 10) of the freedom of religion and conscience of either children or their parents (section 3), and the right of parents to provide their children with religious and moral education in keeping with their convictions (section 41).
Based on both on Québec and external law, the Commission concluded that ERC courses, in principle, do not infringe any right guaranteed under the Charter. Accordingly, complaints filed before the Commission alleging, outside of a particular factual context, that ERC courses as an educational initiative restrict, in a discriminatory manner, any of the rights and freedoms guaranteed under the Charter, are inadmissible.
Opinions, briefs and recommendations
Opinions and recommandations