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QUEBEC — Relations between Quebec and Ottawa turned frosty Wednesday with the Legault government slamming federal funding for a legal challenge to the province’s secularism law, Bill 21.

But Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tried to shield himself from Quebec’s wrath by saying the Court Challenges Assistance Program (CCP) that provided the funds is independent of his government.

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Thatanswer was not sitting well with a number of Quebec voices, including Simon Jolin-Barrette, the minister of Immigration, Francization and Integration who is responsible for the law.

Jolin-Barretteripped the federal government for getting involved in Quebec’s affairs despite numerous warnings to butt out.

“I would say the federal government is doing indirectly what it is not doing directly in financing a legal challenge against the secularism law,” a furious Jolin-Barrette told reporters as he emerged from a meeting of the Quebec cabinet.