As arguments wrapped at the Quebec Court of Appeal Wednesday for the legal challenge to the province’s secularism law — known as Bill 21 — the panel of judges hinted that the case hinges on whether the bill disproportionately discriminates against Muslim women who wear the hijab. “That’s a tough question, but it’s really at the centre of our preoccupations and that’s why we asked it,” Justice Yves-Marie Morissette said as the panel of three judges posed some final questions to lawyers to clarify their positions. A key argument of groups opposed to the law is that it discriminates on the basis of gender by disproportionately targeting Muslim women. Provincial laws that can be shown to be discriminatory on the basis of gender cannot be shielded by the notwithstanding clause. The panel of judges Wednesday challenged both sides to clarify their positions on that key question. Perri Ravon, lawyer for the English Montreal School Board, who made several points about Bill 21’s disproportionate effect on Muslim women last week, was questioned about that by Justice Marie-France Bich. “If we look at who’s being impacted, it’s Muslim women. If we look at who’s losing their jobs, it’s Muslim women. If we look at who the law was designed for, it’s Muslim women,” Ravon replied. She noted that so far in the province, Muslim women who wear the hijab are the only people who’ve lost jobs or been denied employment due to Bill 21. FULL ARTICLE