Premier Brian Pallister has long been a critic of Quebec’s controversial religious symbols law, now he is saying he may intervene in a possible court battle over it.

Pallister delivered his annual state of the province speech yesterday, and in it, he said Quebec’s ban on religious symbols being worn by civil servants is detrimental to Canada’s reputation internationally.

Quebec’s Bill 21 bans civil servants like teachers, lawyers, and any officers who carry a weapon, from wearing a religious symbol while on duty. The law applies to any object from any religion, excluding religious tattoos or hairstyles like Rastafarian dreadlocks.

Bill 21 was officially passed in June of this year.

The law has been met by a lot of criticism, with a lot of people saying it’s against the Charter.

The Premier has already started an ad campaign to try and encourage public-sector employees affected by the law to come and work in Manitoba.

In his state of the province speech, Pallister said the law needs to be fought with the same spirit that Canadian soldiers showed during the World Wars.

“Manitobans always have – at Vimy Ridge, on the beach at Normandy, in the deserts of Afghanistan and, yes, in the legislature and in the House of Commons. We do not stand back when other people’s rights are threatened,” said Pallister.

Pallister went on to say that, if the case ends up in the Supreme Court, the province will likely seek intervener status.

Court challenges have already been filed in Quebec to try and get rid of the ban of religious symbols, but the Quebec Court of Appeal rejected requests yesterday to suspend parts of it until a full court hearing is held.

NDP leader Wab Kinew said he would back Manitoba intervening.