While many commentators like Shahina Siddiqui in the Montreal Gazette and Clifford Orwin in the Globe and Mail pan the law based on their view that it is an attack on religious freedom, other liberals chime in that the law is unnecessary in light of the very few woman who actually wear the veil.
On the first point, as to whether the ban is an assault on freedom of religion, there remains fair grounds for debate, but opinion polls show that Canadians across the country are massively in favour of the restriction, rendering the argument moot.
The second argument, that the law is unnecessary because few actually wear the veil, misses its real point.
Naema's Law is nothing less than a statement that religious fundamentalism that directly attacks the principle of the equality between men and women will not be allowed to be practiced in Quebec, just as is, female genital mutilation or polygamy.
While the law directly affects just a few dozen people, Muslims rightly view the law as a lever, likely to open up a Pandora's box of intolerance.
The public generally take their cues from their elected officials and the niqab bashing by both federal and provincial politicians as well as prominent commentators has added fuel to the fire. The pendulum is swinging dangerously away from the niqab, to outright hostility towards those who wear any type of religious regalia.
Emboldened by NAIMA's actions and the government's reaction, Quebec secularists and Christian heritage defenders have made an unholy alliance (excuse the pun) to attack orthodox non-Christians.
The drive has already started to remove the subsidy to private religious schools and if successful, it will force many orthodox children into public schools where they may be forbidden (unlike in the rest of Canada) to manifest their religious orthodoxy, through dress. In effect, it will be a case of forced secularization of non-Christians.
While the law directly affects just a few dozen people, Muslims rightly view the law as a lever, likely to open up a Pandora's box of intolerance.
The public generally take their cues from their elected officials and the niqab bashing by both federal and provincial politicians as well as prominent commentators has added fuel to the fire. The pendulum is swinging dangerously away from the niqab, to outright hostility towards those who wear any type of religious regalia.
Emboldened by NAIMA's actions and the government's reaction, Quebec secularists and Christian heritage defenders have made an unholy alliance (excuse the pun) to attack orthodox non-Christians.
The drive has already started to remove the subsidy to private religious schools and if successful, it will force many orthodox children into public schools where they may be forbidden (unlike in the rest of Canada) to manifest their religious orthodoxy, through dress. In effect, it will be a case of forced secularization of non-Christians.
A disturbing opinion poll published in the JOURNAL DE MONTREAL reveals that Francophone Quebeckers attitudes are tilting towards a dangerously indefensible position.
75% of Quebeckers are against the wearing of a hijab by students in a public school. (and by implication a kippah, turban or kirpan) No numbers were provided for the difference in opinion between Anglophone and Francophones for this question.
Paradoxically, 54% of those polled are in favour of keeping the crucifix hanging on the wall in classrooms in public schools! Again, no numbers were provided for the difference in opinion between groups, but if Francophones alone were considered, the number would very likely shoot up to well over 65% !
54% of Francophones believe that non-Christian immigrants pose a threat to Quebec culture with a contrasting number of 30% in the Anglo community holding the same view.
The results of the poll lay bare the reality that the debate is not really about secularism versus religion, but rather Christianity versus minority orthodox religions, particularly on the Francophone side.
The poll indicates that the majority of Francophones are not secularlists who wish to remove all religion from public life.
It indicates that the majority are those who wish to protect their Christian heritage by restricting other orthodox religions from manifesting themselves publicly.
That's a heckova difference!
That is what Naima's Law is going to lay bare.
