“Stuck between a rock and a hard place.”

The expression captures quite well the situation Quebec Liberal Leader Pablo Rodriguez finds himself in when it comes to taking a position on Bill 21, the province’s secularism law.

Last week, Rodriguez surprised many when he declared during a press conference that, if elected premier, he would not modify the bill — adding that, in his view, secularism has brought “social peace” to Quebec.

A Liberal government under his leadership, he explained, would simply refrain from renewing the use of the notwithstanding clause, which shields the controversial law from court challenges but must be renewed every five years.

Quite a striking U-turn for someone who, until not that long ago when he was serving as Justin Trudeau’s Quebec lieutenant on the federal stage, was among the staunchest opponents of this legislation, which bans the wearing of religious symbols by government employees in positions of authority.

The move is a gamble for Rodriguez, who is walking a fine line on........

© Montreal Gazette