By Sandra Dunham 
Has there been a more contentious issue for secularists in Canada than Quebec’s Bill 21? At CFIC, we’ve seen that this issue has been divisive for our secular community. We think that it is important to have a discussion about this topic, not to change minds, but to enhance our understanding of differing perspectives.
Join the CFIC Virtual branch meetup on June 6 for a robust discussion of Bill 21. The event will start with a presentation by Catherine Francis about the background of Quebec’s Secular Bill and the subsequent legal challenge, followed by a moderated Q&A and discussion.
Whether you have a strong opinion about this bill (either for or against) or have watched the dialogue and not come to any conclusions, this webinar is for you.
This is part of a series of presentations about topics that our members disagree on. We recognize that while we all are aiming for a more just, secular society — we may have different views on how to get there. What we do know is that as secularists, we must stick together on the big issues such as the funding of religion, elimination of blasphemy laws around the world, and the use of science rather than superstition to solve the world’s biggest issues.
About Our Presenter:
Catherine Francis was called to the Ontario bar in 1987 and is a partner in the Litigation Group and Bankruptcy and Insolvency Group of Minden Gross LLP, a Toronto law firm. Her practice is devoted largely to corporate/commercial, real estate, banking, and insolvency litigation.
In her spare time, Catherine is a member of several secular organizations and serves on the steering committee of the Humanist Association of Toronto. Catherine has frequently presented to Toronto Oasis, a community for freethinkers to celebrate the human experience, on legal issues of interest to the secular community.
This article appears in the June 2020 version of Critical Links.