Calling it a North American first, the Quebec government passed legislation Wednesday forbidding anyone from receiving or giving a public service with their face covered 香蕉视频直播� and even while riding the bus.
The opposition said the law doesn香蕉视频直播檛 go far enough, while members of the province香蕉视频直播檚 Islamic community said it targets Muslim women and violates their fundamental right to express their religion as they see fit.
香蕉视频直播淭his has been a debate that香蕉视频直播檚 been tearing Quebec apart for the past few years,香蕉视频直播� Premier Philippe Couillard told reporters. 香蕉视频直播淲e need to hail this exercise. We need to remind people we are the only jurisdiction in North America to have legislated on this issue.香蕉视频直播�
is the Liberal government香蕉视频直播檚 attempt to enshrine into law what is considered to be a fundamental Quebec value that the state should not promote religion of any kind.
Due to the historical omnipresence of the Roman Catholic Church in the lives of Quebecers, some activists in the province see the movement for secularism 香蕉视频直播� including laws banning religious expression in public institutions 香蕉视频直播� as the natural evolution of modern Quebec.
The Liberals香蕉视频直播� bill is not as strict as the values charter tabled by the Parti Quebecois but which did not become law because the Liberals swept the sovereigntist party from power in 2014.
Bill 62 has two basic components: it bans the wearing of face coverings for people giving or receiving a service from the state and it offers a framework outlining how authorities should grant accommodation requests based on religious beliefs.
Couillard said he expects some people to challenge the law, but he defended the legislation as necessary for reasons related to communication, identification and security.
香蕉视频直播淭he principle to which I think a vast majority of Canadians by the way, not only Quebecers, would agree upon is that public services should be given and received with an open face,香蕉视频直播� he said.
香蕉视频直播淚 speak to you, you speak to me. I see your face. You see mine. As simple as that.香蕉视频直播�
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In Ottawa, the Bloc Quebecois asked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the Commons whether he could categorically state his government would not challenge the law.
Trudeau responded by saying he would 香蕉视频直播渃ontinue to work to make sure Canadians are protected by the charter (federal Charter of Rights and Freedoms) while at the same time respecting the choices made by various parliamentarians at different levels.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淏ut here, at the federal level, we defend the rights of all Canadians.香蕉视频直播�
Trudeau later tweeted a link to a speech he gave in 2015 condemning face-covering bans, adding that his position hasn香蕉视频直播檛 changed.
香蕉视频直播淚t is a cruel joke to claim you are liberating people from oppression by dictating in law what they can and cannot wear,香蕉视频直播� he said in the speech.
How the new law will be enforced is still unclear, particularly for bus drivers who fear becoming the fashion police.
Quebec Justice Minister Stephanie Vallee, who tabled the bill, said guidelines on how the law would be enforced would be phased in by next June 30, after consultations.
She told reporters the law also affects women who choose to use public transit while wearing Islamic face coverings, such as the niqab or burka.
香蕉视频直播淭he obligation to uncover your face is for duration of the public service rendered,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淣ot just for the veiled woman, but think also of hoods or tinted glasses.香蕉视频直播�
Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre said he remains uncomfortable with the legislation, especially as it applies to the city香蕉视频直播檚 public transit.
香蕉视频直播淲hat does it mean? We have niqab police as bus drivers?香蕉视频直播� Coderre asked. 香蕉视频直播淲ill we refuse to provide them (women wearing face coverings) services if they are freezing with their children?香蕉视频直播�
A spokesman for the union representing Montreal bus drivers, ticket takers and subway employees says it isn香蕉视频直播檛 interested in enforcing the law.
香蕉视频直播淏us drivers don香蕉视频直播檛 want to have the responsibility of applying Bill 62 at this time,香蕉视频直播� Ronald Boisrond of the Canadian Union of Public Employees said in an interview.
Andre Lamoureux, political scientist and spokesman for a Quebec-based movement for secularism, said the niqab or burka 香蕉视频直播漢as no place 香蕉视频直播� not even on the bus.香蕉视频直播�
His group was one of many who testified during the legislative hearings into Bill 62.
香蕉视频直播�(The niqab) is not a religious sign,香蕉视频直播� Lamoureux said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a political symbol of the enslavement and de-empowerment of women that is supported by the most repressive regimes on the planet.香蕉视频直播�
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Eve Torres, a spokeswoman for the National Council of Canadian Muslims, said the face veil itself is not the issue.
香蕉视频直播淲hether it pleases Mr. Lamoureux or me 香蕉视频直播� that香蕉视频直播檚 not the question,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淭he Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms allows women to express their way of interpreting their religion.
香蕉视频直播淲hether I香蕉视频直播檓 OK with it or not is not the point.香蕉视频直播�
Lamoureux said the majority of Quebecers are against the niqab and the burka due to historical considerations.
香蕉视频直播淏efore the 1960s there was terrible social pressure on women, on couples,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭he church was against abortion, controlled women香蕉视频直播檚 bodies. When women went to the confessional, the priest would demand they get pregnant. The church was everywhere, in the schools. Even my hockey coach was a Jesuit.香蕉视频直播�
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He said Quebecers don香蕉视频直播檛 care if people practise their religion in private, but they are sensitive to signs that religiosity is re-entering public institutions.
Torres said the government has switched roles with the church.
香蕉视频直播淭he government has passed a law forcing women to uncover a part of their body against their will,香蕉视频直播� she said.
香蕉视频直播淚 am aware of the past, but the past also tells us that women have come a long way but there is still a lot of work to do. This law does not add anything to the advancement of women in society.香蕉视频直播�
Another spokesman with the National Council of Canadian Muslims said the organization is 香蕉视频直播渓ooking at its options香蕉视频直播� with regards to a possible court challenge.
Fo Niemi of the Center for Research-Action on Race Relations said the law could eventually be challenged in front of the United Nations.
香蕉视频直播淚t is foreseeable香蕉视频直播he law will end up before the UN because it can be deemed to be a violation of certain rights protected by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women,香蕉视频直播� Niemi said.
Vallee said she believes her bill passes the legal test.
香蕉视频直播淚n every piece of legislation, there香蕉视频直播檚 a risk of it being contested by those who don香蕉视频直播檛 agree with it,香蕉视频直播� Vallee said. 香蕉视频直播淲e consider that this bill is solid, it香蕉视频直播檚 strong, it香蕉视频直播檚 a bill that香蕉视频直播檚 respectful of civil rights.香蕉视频直播�
Giuseppe Valiante, The Canadian Press
