Crepuscular Face Masks

In France the nation's controversial secularism charter for schools banning students from boycotting classes for religious or political reasons, and promoting "total respect for the freedom of conscience", saw publication on Monday. The charter now will have pride of place in all state schools. The primacy of secularism in France ensures massive public support. Which hasn't stopped some Muslim officials from interpreting the charter as a covert attack on Islam.

French education minister Vincent Peillon, unveiling the document near Paris, said "The Republic recognizes equality between girls and boys. There is separation of the private and the public sphere." And not to be outdone by its mentoring country from whose heritage the Province of Quebec takes direction, Quebec too has taken steps to unveil a secular charter with its new "values charter" unveiled a scant day later than France's.

Quebec has "one of the lowest birthrates in the world", according to its provincial Ministry of Immigration. To which cause the province seeks to invite "young people with skills and a knowledge of French", to emigrate from their countries of origin and make the Province of Quebec, within Canada, their new home. Foreign-born citizens represented 5.6% of the population in the 1950s, that number has now risen to over 11% representation.

And therein, painfully, lies a problem for the "culture"-, "nationality"-, "exceptionalism"-focused society that is Quebec. It is engrossed in maintaining tradition. It is fully immersed in the need to retain its language. It insists on receiving respect in no small measure in the recognition of its uniqueness within Canada, as one of two founding 'nations'. And it has no wish to see its exceptionality diminished by the weakening of any of its foundational values.

Quebec provincial premier Pauline Marois and Bernard Drainville Minister for Democratic Institutions hold copy of proposed Charter of Quebec values.    Photo Credit: Jacques Boissinot/CP

"Quebec's focus has been on getting immigrants who are able to speak French, and one of the places that such immigration comes from is North Africa. The immigrants speak French, but you'll also get a certain percentage that are religious, and within that group you'll get some hijab wearers and a tiny, tiny group of people who wear the burqa."
Jack Jedwab, executive vice-president, Canadian Institute of Identities & Migration

In fact, Arabs have been the fastest-growing minority group in Quebec since 2006; their numbers have swelled in five years by 48.6%. African immigrants represented 36.8% of all new Quebec arrivals, about equal to the number of migrants coming from Europe and the Americas, together. With a certain delicacy not to have it seem that the Parti Quebecois is focusing solely on one group the new charter requirements that no public servant wear a conspicuously religious symbol, includes Sikhs and Jews as well as Christians.

No large crosses to be worn, or mezuzahs, no yarmulkes, no turbans, no niqabs. The public whom civil servants serve must be under no illusion that their secular-respecting government makes common cause with any religion. As does France so too does Quebec. "When we talk of a conspicuous symbol, we're talking about a very apparent, very demonstrative symbol that sends a clear message: I am a believer and this is my religion", explained Bernard Drainville.

"We are convinced that this project is constitutional. We have opinions to that effect. But as you know, constitutional opinions are always confidential, they always have been and they will remain so. Yes, the Christmas tree is going to stay [in government offices] and it is going to be called Christmas ... because it is part of our culture. We decided to protect the children, who are more vulnerable and easily influenced. So staff who work with children, in our opinion, must be neutral not only in their attitude, behaviour and teaching, for example, but also in the appearance they present to children, because we do not want children to be exposed to religious influence of any kind. We think that choice belongs to the parents." -- Bernard Drainville, Parti Quebecois Minister Responsible for Democratic Institutions and Active Citizenship

And so ... there!

Cartoons have been helpfully published to demonstrate exactly what is meant; the ever-so-obvious Jewish skullcap of the orthodox, the Sikh turban, a garish necklace cross, and a niqab drawn across the lower half of the wearer's face. The Quebec Charter of Values is reminiscent of the earlier invoked protection of the French language, Bill 101, whose imposition drove over 200,000 English-speaking Quebecers out of the province. Quebec's loss has been other provinces' gains.



Just incidental to the disempowerment of non-francophones in Quebec has been the leaking of its economic stability. The province holds the distinction of having more cities in Canada where over 40% of their population lives in low-income areas than any other. Quebec now has the highest per capita debt in the country. Its unemployment rate is higher than the national average. Quebecers enjoy less wealth, pay higher taxes. No matter: the federal government still guarantees transfer payments.

And the Parti Quebecois, the separatist party that now holds the government position, has the support of a majority of Quebec voters. So there yet again! It's doubtful that the new charter will prevail to become law. It is clearly unconstitutional, and it offends Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It offends most Canadians' inbred sense of fairness and civility. But there is also a niggling little doubt about how civil it is for a woman to wear a face veil.

Or a burqa, come to that; even more egregious. That woman's religion demands she be modest and chaste. Her heritage and culture, one dominated by tribal custom and patriarchy demands she be shut away from the sight of strangers, particularly strange men. Islam also instructs its faithful to remain separate and apart from others who sin by eschewing Islam. When a woman devout to her traditions ascribing her piety to Islam is out in public fully garbed, with only her eyes visible, she is herself invisible.

It is a denial of her humanity, a deliberate slight against others in society. It is an individual compelled by cultural values offensive to the majority, shunning all human contact. We have no way to gauge with whom we are sharing space. The practise is offensively illiberal and deliberately offensive to the sensibilities of most people, however tolerant they wish to be in a pluralist society.

 Burka-clad women (photo credit: Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90)

Some might claim that the charter is overkill, and they're absolutely right.