There is an innocent and dangerous fantasy being peddled by Bernard Drainville and company that the Charter of Values will somehow be a uniting force, bringing Quebecers from all backgrounds closer together, making for more harmonious social cohesion.
How do you get to that?
How will forcing certain citizens of faith to give up their religion or their job, in any way shape or form, lead to social harmony?
The law has about as much chance of increasing solidarity as one that would force Quebecers to cheer for the Maple Leafs.
But first, let us not accept on faith the contention by the PQ that the Charter is necessary because there is a serious societal problem in regards to religious fanaticism. Just because Drainville tells that it is so, without a shred of evidence, doesn't make it true.
In fact all evidence is to the contrary. The Quebec Human Rights Tribunal (which has come out strongly against the Charter) has indicated that cases over religious accommodations represent a fraction of its caseload and in fact, the vast majority of cases that hit the tribunal over religion, are about intolerance and outright discrimination.
The Association québécoise d’établissements de santé et de services sociaux, has also said that on the there have been but a handful of complaints over accommodations, with most managers responding to a survey conducted to measure the seriousness of a so-called 'accommodation' problem indicating that they've never had a complaint. Link
Over and over again, Drainville has alluded to imaginary problems and sadly, has never been called out in the Press over his fantasies.
Just yesterday the Journal de Montreal happily trumpeted a case in Ontario where some idiot demanded not to work with co-student because of she was a female. Link{fr}
It is a measure of how few problems there really are, when a completely isolated case, NOT EVEN IN QUEBEC, is cited as a reference point.
Despite the absence of empirical evidence that there is a religious problem in Quebec, Charter defenders bravely remind us that the proposed Charter is really a preventative measure, meant to insure that future problems are avoided.
How very convenient a point of view and how naked an admission that there isn't really a discernible problem.
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| Now you see it...Now you don't! |
And so tilting at imaginary windmills makes eminent sense, when the real problems of today are unsolvable by a clueless and hapless government which in a desperate attempt to distract, adopts the shifty and moral integrity of a cheap con artist who uses sleight of hand to deceive some poor dufus in a game of three-card Monte.
I am reminded of the referendum campaign wherein the YES side erected posters that attempted to allay fears that voting for Quebec sovereignty would affect the new country's economic situation by assuring voters that the Canadian currency would be retained, a promise that could not be made realistically, without the consent of Ottawa.
The absurdity of showing a Canadian Loonie on a poster exhorting citizens to reject Canada should not be ignored and demonstrates the utter contempt that the PQ bears for the electorate.
Most governments go through the motions of pretending that voters are imbued with half a sense, even if patently untrue, but the PQ makes no pretense, successfully passing off one ridiculous and moronic idea after another, proving the old political axiom that there can be no overestimating the gullibility or stupidity of the public.
So according to the Drainville narrative, when the Charter passes, people of faith will throw off the articles of their religious faith like the slaves of Egypt discarding the yoke of oppression and the symbols of their domination, setting off on a new course of freedom and Godless liberation.
Muslim, Jewish and Sikh doctors, nurses, teachers and assorted health workers will willingly shed their hijabs, kippahs, turbans and crosses because the law demands it, a fantasy as idiotic and dangerous as believing that the cafeteria in the Jewish General hospital will celebrate its liberation from Kosher restraints by putting pulled pork sandwiches and lobster bisque on the menu.
I would remind those who believe in this fantasy that governments rule with the consent of the people and when that consent is withheld by a significant portion of citizens, all Hell usually breaks loose.
Remember the student revolt against tuition hikes and how it almost brought this province to its knees?
Well, that is nothing compared to the bucket of hurt that can be expected when the devout are told to give up their job or their religion.
I'll remind readers again that the student demonstrations, despite the mayhem, remained rather peaceful and pacifistic, with a couple of rare exceptions (like the metro smoke bomb attack).
What would have happened had those students really taken on the government, I shudder to think!
Telling people of faith that they should check their religious beliefs at the door, is as absurd as telling a pregnant women to not be pregnant during working hours.
Those of little or no faith cannot fathom the absurdity of the demand not to eat kosher or Halal for a couple of hours a day or not to wear a hijab, kippah or turban at work.
This misjudgment of the PQ government and Charter supporters is so blaring that when the coming repercussions manifest, they will be blindsided by the devastating push back.
I'm not going to make dire predictions of anarchy and chaos, what will be will be, but if Charter supporters honestly believe that all will work out just fine, they are in for the shock of their lives.
What will happen when whole institutions and their staff become scofflaws, utterly rejecting the government edict to comply with the religious ban?
What inspector will dare walk into the lion's den (excuse the biblical reference) to impose the government's will, when the entire hospital staff is ready for a confrontation?
Fines?
Who is the government going to fine or punish, when it is the government itself that pays the bills?
Suspensions?
What will be when they tell essential doctors, nurses and support staff that they are suspended in critical care scenarios with no substitutes available?
What happens when resisters file thousand and thousands of lawsuits against the government, all with a better than average chance of succeeding, putting the government in jeopardy of having to pay out billions in damages?
So the question remains....who will cave first, the government or the resistors?
I know who I'm betting on.
I want to remind those in favour of the Charter who believe that the will of the religiously devout will be broken by a simple act of law and that compliance will be the order of the day, that as they say down south....
...T'aint gonna happen.
Remember the obstinacy of the Christians in Roman times, fed to the lions in a test of faith. When it comes to religion commitment, not much has changed for those who believe.
In a test of will and nerve, between the minority of devout Muslim women in hijabs, kippah wearing Jews turban clad Sikhs and their secular supporters, I'll bet on the meek... It won't even be close.
