Citizenship,Secularity and the Ethics and Religious Culture Program of Quebec

ABSTRACT

This article focuses on some of the broader complexities of citizenship in Quebec, paying particular attention to the Quiet Revolution and Bill 60 (Charter of Values) in order to understand how these historical events shape contemporary politics. Using a case study of the Ethics and Religious Culture Program (ERC) in Quebec, we seek to highlight how political discourse shapes educational policies. Looking at the ERC’s Program Goals and the required professional posture of neutrality on the part of teachers, we discuss how citizenship in Quebec is currently examined. We conclude by suggesting that there is a continued need to understand what is meant by citizenship in Quebec, and in doing so, recognize which citizens of society are being marginalized and excluded.