Neutrality of the State, veiled women, and buses: it is necessary to avoid the shortcuts, ” said Couillard

Photo Simon Clark
The prime minister Philippe Couillard has argued that “there is no question” for his party to legislate on the wearing of religious symbols in the public space.

Charles Lecavalier

Thursday, 19 October 2017 17:34

UPDATE
Thursday, 19 October 2017 17:38

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MINGANIE | The association between the law on the neutrality of the State, and a veiled woman who can not take the bus is a “shortcut”, considers Philippe Couillard.

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“We are trying to make shortcuts and this is normal, but I recall that even in Europe, countries have gone much further in the prohibitions, this is not the case of Quebec”, stated the prime minister on Thursday during a press briefing on the sidelines of the inauguration of the hydroelectric generating station Romaine-3.

Mr. Couillard has argued that “there is no question” for his party to legislate on the wearing of religious symbols in the public space. Questioned on the statements of Stéphanie Vallée, who believes that bill 62, adopted Wednesday, will force the women who wear the full veil to discover by taking the bus, Mr. Couillard had indicated “that we will talk about the rules of applications”. “What we want is that the public services be given and received to be discovered”, he added.

The minister of Justice, Stéphanie Vallée, by day, is also back on this question, which has made the tour of Canada. “I wish to reassure those who see it as an intention to dictate a choice of clothing, this is not the case, this is not a case of religion (…) it is for reasons of communication, one is able to see (…) it is important to be able to identify, yes, sometimes, for security reasons,” said Ms. Valleé.

“But we deal here with issues sensitive. I am optimistic by nature. You will be able to ensure the compliance of the draft law and the respect for individual freedoms”, she added.

The canadian politicians who criticize the foundations of the project of law on religious neutrality only to demonstrate the difference that exists between Quebec and the other provinces, also believes Philippe Couillard.

“It shows that there is a difference […] how Quebec sees these things and how it happens in other companies”, he noted.

The premier of Ontario, with whom he has performed several reconciliations in the course of its mandate, said that “forcing people to show their faces, taking the bus, to prevent women who wear a niqab to rent a book at the library only serves to divide us”. Columnists have outright called the law “racist”.

“In an open and democratic society, when we speak, it must be face to face, and particularly in the public services. I think this is the way Quebec wants to develop its society”, defended Philippe Couillard.