Canadian Taxpayers Federation urges Mayor Gondek to use her salary for Bill 21 legal fight

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is unimpressed with Calgary’s mayor wanting to use money from taxpayers to fund a legal fight in another province on a piece of legislation that targets religious communities.

“It’s not just a few dollars and cents,” said Franco Terrazzano, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

Mayor Jyoti Gondek says council will vote on the motion to stand beside the city of Brampton, which voted to fund $100,000 in a legal fight against Quebec's Bill 21.

Calgary could pony up the same amount of cash.

“If the mayor really does think that this is important, then we encourage her to make a generous donation using some of the $200,000 per year salary that she has,” said Terrazzano.

Bill 21, which was enacted in 2019, bans any government employee or someone in a position of authority from wearing religious symbols on the job.

Last week, controversy over the legislation began again when a Grade 3 teacher in Chelsea, Que., was fired for wearing a hijab.

Gondek believes Canada has ignored the legislation for too long.

“If our federal government is unwilling to step in and do something and that provincial government really thinks this is a great idea, someone has to speak up,” she told reporters last week.

The federation believes Calgarians are more worried about other things closer to home.

“Taxpayers in the city of Calgary, they’re expecting their money to go to important projects, high quality policing, good roads and fixing potholes, but not towards social justice issues in Quebec,“ Terrazzano said.

'STAND UP'

Several dozen protesters attended a protest at city hall, calling the bill racist and that it targets minority religious groups.

Malik Ashraf says he showed up to stand up for all Canadians.

"Any religion, I'm not here on one religion. I'm here on behalf of the entire Canadian community and speak for everyone because this is our Canadian values to live freely," Ashraf said.

Zaineb Latif says she believes Ottawa needs to intervene, calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to stand against the law.

"It's his responsibility as a prime minister to stand up for the minorities who are sidelined because of one province's bill," she said.