Nones and Catholics in Quebec

Abstract

The authors examine the relationship between religion and support for State secularism in the context of the recent passing of Bill 21 in Quebec. After contextualizing the transformation of Québécois’ regime of religiosity from the 1960s to the present day, the authors analyze two surveys on how the restrictive measures set out in Bill 21 have been received and supported. Public opinion data suggest something unexpected at first glance: support for the measures aimed at restricting the wearing of religious symbols in State institutions appears to come mainly from Francophones who are self-declared Catholics, rather than from the nonreligious. Language, religious (non) affiliation, age as well as place of residence appear to be major determinants when it comes to support for the restrictive State secularism measures.

The many facets of negative public opinion towards Muslims

“…Critics of Bill 21, along with similar legislative measures that came before it, argue that recent Quebec governments have been pandering to the large electoral base of older francophones identifying as Catholic and living outside of Montreal, a demographic that tends to favour in larger numbers state secularism measures targeting religious minorities (Meunier and Legault-Leclair, 2021). In so doing, the state is participating in the creation of a social context that is potentially conducive to negative feelings towards minorities among its broader population.…”

“…The relationship that Quebeckers have developed with religion in recent decades has been characterized as a ‘paradoxical tension’ (Meunier et al, 2010: 127) and a ‘love–hate’ dimension (Laniel, 2016: 450; Meunier and Legault-Leclair, 2021: 99). Anti-(Catholic) Church sentiment has been a prevalent part of the social imaginary since the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s in the province.…”

La migration interprovinciale chez les immigrants musulmans : La francophonie comme vecteur d'intégration?

“…Les politiques mises de l'avant par certaines provinces et l'effet qu'elles peuvent avoir sur les affiliés de certaines religions nous pousse aussi à nous interroger sur les déplacements interprovinciaux. Alors que le Québec a connu des années de débats sur le port de signes religieux dans l'espace public lors de la crise des accommodements raisonnables (Zubrzycki, 2013), il nous semble pertinent de prendre en compte les différences provinciales quant à la répartition territoriale de groupes minoritaires particulièrement touchés par ce genre d'enjeux (Lavoie, 2018; Meunier & Legault‐Leclair, 2021). En étudiant les facteurs déterminants de la migration interprovinciale, nous serons en mesure de tracer des liens entre les différents contextes provinciaux et les préférences migratoires des immigrants musulmans.…”