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This paper addresses the recent changes in the environment of confessionalism in Quebec schools from the perspective of the place devolved to religion in education. After describing the legal and political steps that have led to a new secular concept of the relationship between religions and education, the author explores how social debate was summarized into pedagogical arguments, making religion one aspect of citizenship education. Drawing upon an analysis of the competence on religious education of the ethics and religious culture (ECR) curriculum, the author throws light on the disparities between original intentions and their translation into course content, in which two concepts of democracy and basic rights coexist.