A national Muslim advocacy organization is voicing concern over Montreal’s decision to remove a City Hall welcome sign featuring a woman in a hijab, arguing that the move sends an unwelcoming message about diversity and inclusion.
Stephen Brown, CEO of the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), expressed surprise and disappointment over the city’s decision. “This poster represents the diversity of Montrealers, not any particular religious or secular identity,” Brown said, adding that instead of removing the image, the city could have encouraged residents to embrace the variety of people they encounter daily.
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante discussed the decision during a recent appearance on “Tout le monde en parle” on Radio-Canada, noting that the sign would be taken down to maintain secularism, as the artwork had made some citizens feel “uncomfortable.” The pencil-style image depicted a woman in a headscarf alongside two men—a young man wearing a baseball cap and an older man with his arms crossed—above the phrase, “Welcome to Montreal City Hall!” in French.
Critics of the decision argue that the city’s commitment to secularism has been misinterpreted. Brown warned that the removal of the image could set a “troubling precedent” in which people are “rendered invisible” based on their appearance. “Secularism,” Brown explained, “means that the state does not interfere in religious matters, nor does it allow religion to dictate state governance. It does not mean restricting what people look like.”
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The sign had been part of City Hall’s lobby since renovations concluded earlier this year, but it quickly sparked criticism from some secularist and women’s rights groups, who felt that the hijab could be seen as promoting religion in a government space. However, Brown and the NCCM believe the move contradicts Canada’s multicultural values. “In 21st-century Canada, we don’t exclude people based on appearance,” he emphasized, adding, “If someone feels uncomfortable, it should prompt personal reflection, not restrictions on others.”
Mayor Plante, in follow-up remarks to reporters, clarified that the image was always part of a rotating exhibit and would have eventually been replaced as part of the city’s ongoing efforts to celebrate Montreal’s diversity. She also reaffirmed her commitment to making Montreal a welcoming space for all. “Everyone has their place in Montreal, and no one should feel erased,” she stated, underscoring her goal to balance secularism with the city’s values of inclusion.
The NCCM has urged the city to consider the message this decision may convey to Montreal’s multicultural population and to find ways to promote both secularism and diversity in a more inclusive manner.
