Kevin
Puritan Board Doctor
I don't know if this story made the US media but here it has been big news.
Any thoughts?
Veiled women will not get to vote in Quebec election
AP
Montreal: Muslim women will have to remove face-covering veils if they want to vote in tomorrow's Quebec election, a government official said.
The decision further stoked concerns over how Muslims are treated in the predominantly Roman Catholic, French-speaking province.
Marcel Blanchet had been criticised by Quebec's three main political leaders for allowing voters to wear the niqab, which covers the entire face except for the eyes, and cast their ballots if they signed a sworn statement and showed proper ID.
Reversing his earlier decision, Blanchet said he was exercising his authority to amend articles in the electoral law to avoid disruptions when residents go to the polls.
Prior to the amendment, the law did not include any provisions barring voters from covering their faces.
Threat
"Relevant articles to electoral laws were modified to add the following: any person showing up at a polling station must be uncovered to exercise the right to vote," said Blanchet, who was assigned bodyguards after having received threatening phone calls and e-mails from voters outraged over his initial decision. Some voters threatened to protest by showing up at polling stations wearing masks.
The reversal was condemned by Muslim groups, who said the decision could turn some of their members away from the polls.
"I am so saddened, I doubt many of these women will show up at the polls after all this mockery," said Sarah Elgazzar of the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations. "It's insulting."
Muslim groups pointed out that the Canadian Armed Forces and police departments in other Canadian cities allow women to wear the headscarf on active duty.
Any thoughts?
Veiled women will not get to vote in Quebec election
AP
Montreal: Muslim women will have to remove face-covering veils if they want to vote in tomorrow's Quebec election, a government official said.
The decision further stoked concerns over how Muslims are treated in the predominantly Roman Catholic, French-speaking province.
Marcel Blanchet had been criticised by Quebec's three main political leaders for allowing voters to wear the niqab, which covers the entire face except for the eyes, and cast their ballots if they signed a sworn statement and showed proper ID.
Reversing his earlier decision, Blanchet said he was exercising his authority to amend articles in the electoral law to avoid disruptions when residents go to the polls.
Prior to the amendment, the law did not include any provisions barring voters from covering their faces.
Threat
"Relevant articles to electoral laws were modified to add the following: any person showing up at a polling station must be uncovered to exercise the right to vote," said Blanchet, who was assigned bodyguards after having received threatening phone calls and e-mails from voters outraged over his initial decision. Some voters threatened to protest by showing up at polling stations wearing masks.
The reversal was condemned by Muslim groups, who said the decision could turn some of their members away from the polls.
"I am so saddened, I doubt many of these women will show up at the polls after all this mockery," said Sarah Elgazzar of the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations. "It's insulting."
Muslim groups pointed out that the Canadian Armed Forces and police departments in other Canadian cities allow women to wear the headscarf on active duty.
