OpinionBan on religious symbols contradicts Canadian ideals

Ban on religious symbols contradicts Canadian ideals

This article was published on September 4, 2013 and may be out of date. To maintain our historical record, The Cascade does not update or remove outdated articles.
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By Taylor Breckles (Contributor) – Email

Print Edition: September 4, 2013

Quebec Premier Pauline Marois has proposed new legislation that strives to strike out religious paraphernalia in the civic workplace. This legislation, the Charter of Quebec Values, would ban religious symbols such as veils, turbans, and yarmulkes from being worn in any place that receives public funding, according to the Toronto Star. Working Canadians in hospitals, government offices, and schools—among others—would have to relinquish the items that represent their beliefs.

One question comes to mind: why? There has never been the slightest indication that religious materials alone alter work ethic. This possible change has put all minorities on alert; there is no harm done to the believers of the most popular religion, as they are “permitted to wear crosses, as long as they aren’t too large,” an exception described as “Putinesque” by The Globe and Mail.

The exceptions don’t stop there. The crucifix in the National Assembly would remain where it is, despite clearly being a religious symbol. It is considered a “historical artifact,” and therefore would be allowed to remain. Not for religious reasons, of course. The Globe and Mail also recollected how Mr. Taylor, co-chair of a Quebec commission, had advocated the removal of the crucifix only to be shut down “unanimously” due to “deep” attachment from the people. This religious symbol will not cause a ruckus within minority communities either, correct?

According to Marois, this charter will help bring Quebec together instead of driving it apart; however there are unfair exceptions. Marois thinks of this charter as similar to Bill 101, the legislation intended to protect the French language, in its good intention. The charter will also affirm the equality of men and women, and reflect Quebec’s values as well as universal values, states Marois. But what are Quebec’s values? How do they differentiate from universal values?

Quebec’s immigration website states that Quebec  “welcomes immigrants from the four corners of the earth,” including their “know-how, skills, language, culture and religion.” If this statement is correct, then how is Marois protecting these values by changing the ability of immigrants to express their cultures? She’s simply not.

Canada is supposed to be a welcoming country that accommodates minorities and does not demonstrate prejudice; immigrants from all over the world have found solace in the religious freedoms of our country. They deserve to have these liberties maintained instead of being forced to check their religions at the door.

As a country, we are supposed to be moving forward. We are supposed to be introducing new ideas, not old ones. We are not supposed to be moving back into times of prejudice, forcing minorities to relinquish their beliefs, rights, or jobs.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper stated in a Toronto news conference that “our job [as Canadians] is making all groups who come to this country, whatever their background, whatever their race, whatever their ethnicity, whatever their religion, feel at home in this country and be Canadians. That’s our job.”

Based on this description, those in favour of this legislation are not doing their job.

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