Calgary’s support for Bill 21 legal challenge won’t include taxpayer money for now

The notice of motion does not include financial support, but instead calls for the creation of a task-force, consultation and an endorsement of the legal challenge.

Calgary will not be bringing forward funding for a legal challenge against Quebec’s Bill 21 as the city joins other municipalities in a call-to-action to condemn the legislation.

Last week, Calgary’s mayor said city council would debate an urgent notice of motion to join their colleagues in other Canadian cities to challenge the legislation that bans public employees, including teachers, in Quebec from wearing religious symbols  like turbans and hijabs in the workplace.

Brampton, Ont., Mayor Patrick Brown called the legislation discriminatory and said freedom of religion is a fundamental principle that must be upheld.

Brown called on other cities to get involved, as his council voted to put forward $100,000 towards a legal challenge of the legislation.

Calgary city council would debate earmarking the same amount of money towards the legal challenge, Gondek said Friday.

However, the notice of motion brought forward by six city councillors and Mayor Gondek does not include financial support.

The motion calls on council to endorse the current legal challenge against Bill 21 by the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), the World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.

It also calls on council to convene a task force led by Councillors Jasmine Mian, Raj Dhaliwal and Evan Spencer to engage with local legal and religious communities to determine what resources the city could provide to the legal challenge or to “local inclusivity initiatives.”