
By David Fraser
When the structure Act of 1867 was once enacted, part ninety three assured yes academic rights to Catholics and Protestants in Quebec, yet to not any others. Over the process the subsequent century, the Jewish group in Montreal carved out a regularly tenuous association for public education as “honorary Protestants,” in line with advanced negotiations with the Protestant and Catholic institution forums, the provincial govt, and person municipalities. within the face of the constitution’s exclusionary language, all events gave their compromise a criminal shape which used to be frankly unconstitutional, yet unavoidable if Jewish young ones have been to have entry to public faculties. Bargaining within the shadow of the legislation, they made their very own structure lengthy earlier than the formal constitutional modification of 1997 eventually positioned an finish to the issue.
In Honorary Protestants, David Fraser provides the 1st felony historical past of the Jewish institution query in Montreal. in accordance with broad archival learn, it highlights the advanced evolution of suggestions of rights, citizenship, and id, negotiated open air the stern felony barriers of the constitution.