Must Take Off Niqab To Get Govt Services, Quebec

dumpthemonarchy

House Member
Jan 18, 2005
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This is a case of the govt refusing her health care, or abusing her in an any way, but making her do what everyone else does for receiving service in the province.
Plus, it reduces the chance of fraud. Some pushback is required here by the state to show some aggressive immigrants that their old ways ought to be kept in the
privacy of their own homes.

Remove niqab to get medicare card

Remove niqab to get medicare card


Not an infringement of freedom of religion, commission rules


By Marian Scott and Kevin Dougherty , The GazetteMarch 16, 2010

A niqab-clad woman must uncover her face to confirm her identity when applying for a Quebec medicare card, the province’s human rights commission says.
And she does not have the right to insist on being served by a woman when doing so, the commission said in an opinion issued Tuesday.

The opinion comes in response to a request by Quebec’s health-insurance board to clarify the issue.

Among 146,000 applications for health-care photo ID in 2008-09, there were just 10 from clients who asked for special accommodations because they wore a face-covering niqab or burqa.

Asking a woman to uncover her face long enough for a clerk to check her identity does not infringe on freedom-of-religion guarantees in the Quebec Charter of Rights and Freedoms because the gesture should only take a few seconds, the commission said.

“It is not a significant infringement of freedom of religion,” said Marc-André Dowd, vice-president of the commission.

In response to two other questions put to it by the Régie de l’Assurance-maladie (RAMQ), the commission also stipulated that members of the public do not have the right to complain about employees who wear a hijab (Muslim headscarf) or speak with a foreign accent.

Until now, Régie guidelines have allowed woman who wear a niqab or burqa to demand to be served by a female employee.

In Quebec City, Health Minister Yves Bolduc welcomed the opinion.
“We agree with the human rights commission decision and the RAMQ is going to follow the recommendation,” he said.

Immigration Minister Yolande James said she would reserve comment until after she has read the opinion.

“But I understand that the opinion goes in the sense of respecting the principle that our government has always defended, that is to say, the equality of men and women,” James said.

The minister is developing guidelines on the wearing of religious symbols such as the niqab face veiland the hijab head scarf by public employees, but she would not say when the guidelines would be made public.

James defended her decision last week to ban a woman who would not remove her niqab face veil during French lessons.

“We will be moving forward and we are taking the appropriate time to look at different acts that we will consider,” she said.

© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette
 

DurkaDurka

Internet Lawyer
Mar 15, 2006
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Bravo to Quebec for standing up to these religious twits. The idea that we should change standing laws to accommodate a ridiculously small segment of the population is absurd. If these women feel that they must wear these religious garments at all time, I can suggest a few places they can move where that is the law.
 

AnnaG

Hall of Fame Member
Jul 5, 2009
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Bravo to Quebec for standing up to these religious twits. The idea that we should change standing laws to accommodate a ridiculously small segment of the population is absurd. If these women feel that they must wear these religious garments at all time, I can suggest a few places they can move where that is the law.
The last I heard is that according to the Quran, it isn't a requirement.

Niqab Page
 

Johnnny

Frontiersman
Jun 8, 2007
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If this is the egyptian women then all i have to say is even in her native land of egypt they dont allow that facemask scarf thing in the schools either, so why should we?
 

DurkaDurka

Internet Lawyer
Mar 15, 2006
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If this is the egyptian women then all i have to say is even in her native land of egypt they dont allow that facemask scarf thing in the schools either, so why should we?

What sort of a man would hide his women in a ninja outfit anyways?
 

dumpthemonarchy

House Member
Jan 18, 2005
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What sort of a man would hide his women in a ninja outfit anyways?

I just read here that the niqab is becoming more divisive in Egypt as more conservative brands of Islam are making inroads. The article also says women want to wear it. However this is Canada and the Old World can keep its quarrels. The farther away the better.

BBC News - No covering up Egypt's niqab row
 

earth_as_one

Time Out
Jan 5, 2006
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What difference does it make what someone wears? IN a free country, people should have a right to wear whatever the hell they want/
 

earth_as_one

Time Out
Jan 5, 2006
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If this is the egyptian women then all i have to say is even in her native land of egypt they dont allow that facemask scarf thing in the schools either, so why should we?
Are you saying that you wish Canada was more like Egypt?
 

dreamwatcher

New Member
Mar 17, 2010
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Canadians very nature is to show their faces. We' re not used to seeing women dressed head to toe in black with only the eyes peeking out. Quite frankly, I find it quite scary. The Hutterites in Alberta must now have their picture on their driving licenses, like everyone else. They are quite upset about this. We live in a society where we have to be physically identified usually by picture ID. I wonder what was on their passport when they arrived here in Canada?
 

earth_as_one

Time Out
Jan 5, 2006
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I should be allowed to wear a ski mask when i go to the corner store to buy smokes :lol::lol::lol:
Sure that's legal until you pull out a weapon.

As far as I'm concerned, this person could wear a ski mask, a pink tutu, a Toronto maple leafs jersey, hiking boots and put a doily on top of her head. What difference does it make?
 

earth_as_one

Time Out
Jan 5, 2006
7,933
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48
Canadians very nature is to show their faces. We' re not used to seeing women dressed head to toe in black with only the eyes peeking out. Quite frankly, I find it quite scary. The Hutterites in Alberta must now have their picture on their driving licenses, like everyone else. They are quite upset about this. We live in a society where we have to be physically identified usually by picture ID. I wonder what was on their passport when they arrived here in Canada?

Are we talking about her photo id, or her right to walk around in public wearing whatever she wants. These are two completely different issues.

Which part of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms restricts a person's right to wear a burka in public? Where does the charter say that your right to see someone's face in public, overrides their right to modesty. For all you know she has a big ugly scar across her face.

Should this person have the right to hide their face?

 

Johnnny

Frontiersman
Jun 8, 2007
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I have no problem who comes here to do their thing. But out of all the immigrant groups we have opened the doors to its the muslims who create the most problems. They dont want to show their faces, they dont want to go through medal detectors, they dont want to be sniffed by bomb dogs, etc etc....

I believe in freedom of religion but i believe it is best kept at home, instead of shoving it down the throat of other people who do keep their religion at their own homes.
 

DurkaDurka

Internet Lawyer
Mar 15, 2006
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Toronto
I don't care what people wear in their day to day lives but when it comes to identifying ones self for government services, tough luck, talk off the mask for 5 minutes. Accommodation should only go so far.
 

wulfie68

Council Member
Mar 29, 2009
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Calgary, AB
What difference does it make what someone wears? IN a free country, people should have a right to wear whatever the hell they want/

I agree but there are limits whenever someone is in a situation requiring they be easily identifiable. This is a pretty small list of places: the polling booth, Dr offices, and security controlled areas (airports, court buildings, etc).