Puck Nutty
Prince
This story has been stewing in Canada for a few days now since our PM said it was "offensive" to "most Canadians" that Muslim women would wear head coverings during the citizenship swearing in ceremony.
This whole mess started when Ms. Zunera Ishaq successfully convinced the Supreme Court that it was unlawful for officials to require her to remove her niqab during the recitation of the oath of citizenship. She proposed a compromise by offering to show her face to a female officer in a private place, but was told that her face must be seen during the recitation as well.
Mr. Harper outwardly stated that he objected on the grounds that these customs are oppressive to women and thus fly in the face of Canada's values.
However, critics feel that this is Mr. Harper's way of stoking his Conservative base by rallying them against Islam and any potential security threat they may cause, real or imagined.
So, what say you? Religious freedom or border security and patriotism? What rules the day?
This whole mess started when Ms. Zunera Ishaq successfully convinced the Supreme Court that it was unlawful for officials to require her to remove her niqab during the recitation of the oath of citizenship. She proposed a compromise by offering to show her face to a female officer in a private place, but was told that her face must be seen during the recitation as well.
Mr. Harper outwardly stated that he objected on the grounds that these customs are oppressive to women and thus fly in the face of Canada's values.
However, critics feel that this is Mr. Harper's way of stoking his Conservative base by rallying them against Islam and any potential security threat they may cause, real or imagined.
So, what say you? Religious freedom or border security and patriotism? What rules the day?