Quebec education minister's meeting with Malala Yousafzai garners backlash online

QuebecEducation Minister Jean-Francois Roberge is being accused ofhypocrisy after tweeting a picture of himself with NobelPrize-winning human rights activist Malala Yousafzai.

Roberge met Yousafzai while in France, and said onTwitter that they discussed education and international development.

But he was quickly reminded that Yousafzai, who wears a headscarf, wouldn't be legally permitted to teach in Quebec public schoolsunder his government's new secularism law.

Roberge was roundly criticized on Twitter, and was asked what hewould say if Yousafzai wanted to teach in the province.

Roberge responded: "I would certainly tell her it would be animmense honour and that in Quebec, as in France ... as well as inother open and tolerant countries, teachers can't wear religioussigns while performing their duties."

Quebec's legislature adopted the legislation banningpublicsector workers such as teachers, police officers and Crown prosecutors from wearingreligious symbols on the job last month.

The Pakistani-born Yousafzai won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014for her work in supporting the right of young girls to get aneducation.