Banning the niqab ban

Scoring political points on the backs of immigrants seems to be the new trend in Canadian politics.  I would suggest the issue of wearing a customary niqab at a Canadian citizenship ceremony is not worth the publicity it’s receiving.  It’s certainly not worth the hostilities it’s creating.

            Becoming a Canadian has never meant leaving your religion and customs completely behind.  It means adhering to Canadian law and accepting the responsibilities that our democratic society requires.

Covering one’s face with a niqab doesn’t break the law during a citizenship ceremony because the federal government hasn’t changed the law.  It introduced a policy, a “niqab ban,” that is inconsistent with the current law, based on a federal court judge’s ruling.  The current regulations obligate citizenship judges to “administer the oath of citizenship … allowing the greatest possible freedom in the religious solemnization or the solemn affirmation thereof.”

            The key here is “greatest possible freedom.”  Security is not the issue.  The woman challenging the niqab ban has herself said she has no problem unveiling her face to prove her identity.  The issue is that the ban is not adhering to the law and the judge’s right to exercise tolerance when it comes to religious differences.

            The government’s stance is clearly a political move, playing to the systemic racism that apparently is alive and well in our multicultural nation.  When I hear disparaging comments in my own workplace about the woman who “refused to show her face,” as if it’s comparable to spitting on the Canadian flag, I know the prime minister’s comments have had an effect. 

For many Canadians, it’s not an issue of the niqab being anti-women, as has become the latest excuse for the government’s ban, but rather that her customary dress is too different for our liking.  In our western society, I would suggest the niqab conveys the sense that a person is trying to hide something.  Similar to how Aboriginal children would not look residential school teachers directly in the eyes when being spoken to because it was considered rude in their culture (but rude not to in Western culture), it’s largely an issue of cultural behaviours and perceptions.

            While it’s true that some Muslims might agree with the prime minister’s comments about the niqab being anti-women, we must remember that there are segments of every religion where intolerance and varying degrees of conservatism exist.  I could say the same for Hutterite or Amish cultures, branches of my own Mennonite faith, where women are typically restricted in their education and roles in their communities.  They are required to cover their heads and wear only dresses.  Should we introduce a law against such practices?

            The message being sent by the niqab ban, bolstered by comments made by the prime minister and one member of parliament in particular, is one of intolerance and misunderstanding.  Imagine if a different message was conveyed, one that spoke to higher values: “We respect the rights and religious freedoms of all newcomers to Canada where they adhere to Canadian law, to make this great nation even stronger.”

            After all, the great hallmark of our Canadian society is its ability to attract immigrants, to not only grow the economy, but to foster tolerance and diversity.

Wars are fought over differences in traditions, religious beliefs and even the way people dress.  The challenge for any society is to overcome those differences.  The federal government’s stance is certainly not helping.