In a decisive move to protect the integrity and diversity of public access to information, the City of Boisbriand has officially adopted a motion in support of intellectual freedom in its municipal library.
Passed unanimously during the January 21 council meeting, the motion was originally formulated by the Association des bibliothèques publiques du Québec (ABPQ) and Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ), with backing from the Réseau BIBLIO du Québec. It affirms the city’s commitment to ensuring its residents have access to a broad spectrum of knowledge and perspectives — a commitment increasingly vital in the face of rising censorship efforts both in Canada and abroad.
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“We are unfortunately witnessing a resurgence of intellectual and literary censorship attempts in several countries, including Canada,” said Boisbriand Mayor Christine Beaudette. “The municipal council is proud to support this motion, which positions the City firmly against any such attempts in our municipal library.”
The motion’s adoption reflects three key principles:
Recognition of public libraries as spaces that reflect a diversity of viewpoints, where no single ideology or agenda dominates the shelves.
Trust in the expertise of library staff to curate collections based on professional standards of relevance, diversity, and educational value — not on political or ideological pressures.
Support for public library personnel in the face of growing demands to remove or restrict access to certain books, affirming that libraries must remain safe from censorship and undue influence.
The motion stands as both a symbolic and practical gesture, reinforcing the city’s dedication to intellectual liberty at a time when book bans and content challenges are on the rise across North America. According to library advocates, the growing climate of censorship poses a threat not only to freedom of expression but to the educational development of communities, particularly young readers.
Library professionals across Quebec have expressed concern about recent incidents of book challenges, often targeting titles that explore topics related to race, gender identity, and social justice. In many cases, these challenges have escalated into organized efforts to remove books from shelves altogether — actions that, if unchecked, risk undermining the purpose of public libraries as inclusive spaces for learning and dialogue.
By adopting the motion, Boisbriand aligns itself with a growing number of municipalities across Quebec that are proactively defending the autonomy of their libraries. The initiative is seen not only as a policy safeguard but also as a strong message of support to the librarians and staff who play a frontline role in maintaining intellectual freedom in the community.
Photo Caption: From left to right: Jean-Christophe Froment, librarian; Stéphanie Gascon, head librarian; Christine Beaudette, mayor; Chloé Moreau, documentation technician; Nathalie Naud and Mégane Trudel-Ouimet, library assistants.
