French finance minister dips a toe into Quebec values debate

A high-ranking French politician weighed into Quebec's values debate, very tentatively, with praise Friday for theidea of a secular state.

The French finance minister, PierreMoscovici, said he didn'twant to be offering lessons to anyone, but then he proceeded toextol the general principle of a religion-free state.

He called secularism a "beautiful notion" that has long been atthe heart of France's vision of government and which actuallycreates unity -- not division.

"This is a notion that lies at the heart of the Frenchrepublican pact," said Moscovici.

"Secularism also means tolerance. Everyone, in their privatespace, can practice or not practice (their faith). Secularism iswhat preserves the public space.We believe it's a beautiful notion, but to each his own."

Moscoviciwas asked about the values chartercontroversy during a news conference where he was standing besidePremier Pauline Marois.

Marois' Parti Quebecois wants to forbid religious headwear forpublic employees, and has cited France as one place where similarpolicies have been enacted.

Numerous commentators have suggested the PQ's notion ofsecularism is influenced by the French experience, where secularism is inArticle 1 of the country'sconstitution.

The state was declared neutralin 1905, with religious symbols taken down and state fundingstripped for religion.

France banned religious symbols in state schools a decade ago,and declared a complete ban on the face-covering burqa in 2011.

The same commentators suggest Canada is shaped particularly bythe British view of secularism, a more laissez-faire approach toexpressions of faith.

But some have noted that there is a glaring difference betweenthe French model and Quebec's: the PQ model is a little more erraticin its application.

The PQ insists the crucifix must continue hanging above thenational assembly; Christmas trees will continue to appear in government offices; and the giant cross atop Montreal's Mount Royalisn't going anywhere -- because they all represent Quebec'straditional heritage.

In the months leading to its presentation of the plan, the PQchanged its name from "Charter of Secularism" to "Charter ofQuebec Values."

That has led to opponents suggesting the idea is more aboutwinning votes for the PQ, in ridings outside Montreal, than it isabout actual secularism.

Marois declined to take a question on the values charter Friday.

She has adopted the custom lately of only answering questions onthe chosen topic of a given news conference.

In this case, she and Moscovici were in Mirabel, Que., toannounce a provincial loan for $10 million and grant for $5 million,and a $2.4 million federal contribution, to create a plant forassembling airplane fuselage for the French firm Aerolia.

The $82.4 million plant is expected to create 170 jobs.