Bernard Landry blasts 'Quebec bashing' over secularism charter

Former Quebec premier Bernard Landry says he's seen too much "Quebec bashing" in English media over the Parti Québécois government's proposal to bring in a so-called secularism charter, and he is urging people to wait to see the provincial legislation before judging the plan.

The proposed "Charter of Quebec values" will not be tabled for a couple more weeks, but a leaked draft suggests that workers in the public sector would face restrictions on wearing religious garb like crosses, kippas, turbans and hijabs.

Landry told CBC's As It Happens that Quebec welcomes immigrants but wants them to integrate.

"When you change country, you change country. And you have to get first the language, then the culture, and integrate. That's the way to cultivate brotherhood and friendship between citizens," Landry says.

He says Quebec, generally speaking, is "not prone to multiculturalism" and that the people in the province live in a "lay society."

"I am not a prophet, but I think in Toronto and in Vancouver, in some years they will regret multiculturalism."