A Real Charter For Quebec

The fundamental reason for the Quebec Charter of values as proposed by the present PQ Government, tabled as Bill 60, is to render Quebec a secular society, defined as a neutral society disallowing any faith community to be part of a public discourse.   No society can move forward without hope and if it were possible to create a neutral society the need to instill hope in every member of Quebec society remains fundamental.   Hope speaks louder than faith.

The following expressions of hope are essential to a Charter which opens all of society to a good life today and a better life tomorrow.

Hope for all Quebeckers to have all this is necessary for a good life

Hope that ethical values can replace hyper-consumerism 

Hope that unity can be obtained through diversity 

Hope that the people are seen for their usefulness but for their innate dignity

Hope that differing cultures will enrich la culture Québecoise

Hope that respect of differences will lead to harmony

Hope that the meaning of life can find strength in all religious values

Hope that no one religion be recognized as a national religion

Hope that a secular society be an inclusive society

Hope that a secular society is respectful of its historical roots

Hope that a secular society is established to create better world

Hope that religious communities are motivated to create a better world

Hope that conflicts can be resolved through dialogue and conversation

Hope that confrontations be learning experiences 

Hope that society be mature to receive other cultures which challenge its foundations

Hope that society realizes that no one culture is sacred

Hope that society is founded on inalienable human rights 

Hope that society seeks to strive for social justice 

Hope that religions adapt to the reality of an inter-faith world

Hope that religions abandon any sense of absolutism 

Hope that religions accept the pluralism of the world 

Hope that all religions emphasize a common responsibility for the poor

Hope that all religions accept an openness of faith to radical change

Hope that a secular society and religious communities accept common values

The final expression of hope rests in the hearts of each member of society and that is that each human being deserves the respect of her or his dignity, precisely as a human being regardless of her or his religious affiliations and regardless of what external religious symbols they may wear to express their faith.