Here is the thing Sabrine. I appreciate that in the rest of the world there are pockets of places where the wearing of the garment is mandatory and can be seen as a yoke to those women. However it is not so in Canada where the Charter of Values is being proposed into law. You have argued that this law should be passed because it would enhance the quality of life for those women by removing an oppression in Canada they do not appear to have.
But these are the rest of the issues. 1. The Charter of Values is not just about the wearing of the garment in government offices. It is not just about the employer-employee relationship. It is about the fundamental freedoms of Quebecers and the Government is saying they see nothing wrong with infringing on law biding citizens because of the perception of what they wear may be offensive to some other citizens which may or may not have arrived in Quebec even though Canada is a multi cultural country with Montreal being the most cosmopolitan city in North America. A distinction most other cities would be proud to have.
2. As a result of the hearings you hear the extreme biases to Muslims coming out and not the real issue being heard. I refer to Genevieve Caron who is testifying that she is in support of the charter because on a visit to Morocco and Turkey she saw people on all fours praying on a rug and she felt this was not right somehow. She was invited into the mosque and was taken back when she was asked to remove her shoes. She then says she was pick-pocketed by people wearing “these disguises” and it would be unthinkable to allow people like that to walk around in Quebec wearing such disguises. She was also bothered by the calling of prayers in Morocco. My recommendation to her would be to stay out of Morocco rather than condemning a religious practice she does not understand and perhaps to even educate herself a bit more. Isolation of the world is a terrible thing and only breeds the kind of oppression you are trying to end.
3. The Concordia Daniel Salee is saying that the government is trying to establish what it means to be a Quebecer and suggests that the involvement of people foreign to Quebec is somehow a threat to western civilization which is suppose to be the modern way of living. Which in itself is a contradiction because what is modern living if not the ability to change and get along with each other. It is also an argument you have used when saying your reasons for going to fight for this cause is to modernize Muslim tradition as well as other things. These two examples among many are words and thoughts which pander to the lowest common denominator in society and do nothing to further just cause.
4. You quote Salim Mansur but his analysis is incomplete and absolutely contrary to what I have seen in two decades of close involvement of this question. Actually I think he contributes nothing to the argument for present day Canada.
5. Learned world opinion who include Norm Chomsky, former Quebec Premiers Bernard Landry, Jacques Parizeau and Lucien Bouchard have all come out against the ban on wearing overt symbols while for other ideals in the charter. They are for taking the cross down in the legislature while the current Government is against it which in itself flies in the face of its own argument.
This also is looking more and more like a government who has ulterior ambitions who is looking at the polls and pandering to the lowest common denominator for political gain. So far this party has campaigned against anything that was english, anybody that was liberal, many issues when it comes to Canada, refuses to fly the Canadian Flag in their legislature, pretend that Quebec is a separate nation and does not listen to anyone’s opinion and with that track record you want the people to believe that the people behind this idea has their best interests at heart.
I will end this by reminding you that Quebec only came into existence in its present form when the rest of Canada defended its right to exist without english as its only language and protestant as its religion. When France and England fought that war which created Canada France lost that war but French culture was adopted and DEFENDED even though it was foreign. Canada’s tradition was set there where we do not fear anyone else coming in and being different. We welcome it. That is why we are the only true peace nation on earth. Have a good day.
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