Quebec to Ban the Niqab

by Jamie Phillips

Montreal, CN (Mar 29) – Quebec Justice Minister Kathleen Weil has tabled a new bill in response to the controversy surrounding the repeated expulsion of French student Naema Ahmed because she refused to remove her niqab, a face covering worn by a minority of Muslim women. Bill 94 states that during the delivery of services by a public employee to an individual, both would be required to show their faces. This bill applies to all government bodies including health agencies, schools, colleges and universities and services like child care and nursing homes. It is left to the employee’s discretion how to interpret and apply these “guidelines”.

According to recent polls, 95% of Quebec residents and 75% of Canadians support the bill. Both Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Liberal Party Leader Michael Ignatieff have shown their support. Ignatieff lauds the legislation for its “good Canadian balance”. Ostensibly, it achieves the delicate balance between reasonable accommodation and respect for religious freedom.

The issue is not about Canadians being free to wear whatever they wish: we are, with the exception of dressing appropriately for obtaining a driver’s license or going through airport security. Muslims are required to unveil under such circumstances, and have been complying.

The issue is more of a paternalistic approach to religious tolerance. Everyone has an opinion about what is best for Muslim women. It seems they have one of two options: be told what to wear by Islamic tradition, or be told what not to wear by Canadian legislation.

Canada has a legacy of religious tolerance: after a similar, long and drawn out debate, Sikh men are allowed to wear their ceremonial dagger in public. However, the line is apparently to be drawn with niqabs because the face covering inhibits social interaction and integration into society.

Burkas and niqabs are strong symbols for gender inequity and the subordination of women; many people support the ban because of these connotations. Why should these women who are living in a free country like Canada further subsume themselves to misogynistic practices?

Only, the Muslim women in question are not required to wear the niqab, the 25 women in Quebec who wear it do so under their own volition. If women are equal persons in Canada, why are they not allowed to make their own decisions about what does and does not oppress them?

Moreover, it seems a slight overreaction of Quebec government to introduce legislation based on such a miniscule minority, when there are more pressing matters at hand when it comes to Muslim immigrants in Quebec, i.e. the 30% unemployment rate.

Posted by jamiephillips on March 29, 2010. Filed under Human Interest,International News,Religon,WorldNewsVine. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.