Sheridan College joins Brampton, Oakville Mayor in legal fight to protect religious freedoms
Published February 15, 2022 at 5:10 pm
Sheridan College, with campuses in Brampton, Mississauga, and Oakville, is throwing its support behind a call to protect religious freedoms.
The institute of technology and advanced learning is donating $10,000 to support the legal challenge of Bill 21 – the Quebec law that bans public sector workers from wearing religious symbols.
With campuses in the most culturally diverse communities in Canada, Sheridan is donating $10,000 to support the legal challenge of Bill 21 – the Quebec law that bans public sector workers from wearing religious symbols.
The school says with campuses located in some of the most culturally diverse communities in Canada, the religious freedoms issue resonates deeply with its students and staff.
Sheridan prepares students for jobs directly affected by the ban, including early childhood educators, police officers, and paralegals.
Recent data shows that 32 per cent of Sheridan employees and 48 per cent of Sheridan students are racialized while 60 per cent of employees and 69 per cent of students identify as having an affiliation with a religion or creed.
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“Diversity fuels excellence. Full stop. That’s why we we’re committed to upholding the dignity of each individual and creating an environment where everyone can bring their full potential and experiences knowing their unique contributions are valued,” said Dr. Janet Morrison, President and Vice Chancellor of Sheridan. “This donation, advancing the work of the National Council of Canadian Muslims, the World Sikh Organization and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association is fully in line with our institutional values and signals our commitment to protecting people’s right to freedom of expression.”
Sheridan says it was “inspired” to make a show of support and donation after a challenge from Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown to all municipalities to contribute to the cause.
Brampton City Council made a financial contribution, while councils in Mississauga and Oakville denounced the Quebec legislation.
Oakville Mayor Rob Burton made a personal donation.
“Freedom of expression is fundamental to the operation of any post-secondary institution,” said Morrison. “It extends to the right to speak, write, listen, challenge and learn. It’s essential to the discovery and dissemination of knowledge and it underpins social and economic development.”
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