 Print
Feds Wait and See Approach on controversial Quebec Bill 62
11-15-2017
While the Federal government takes it jolly good time to reflect and ponder, we would like to applaud and thank the National Council of Canadian Muslims, and Canadian Civil Liberties Association for filing a challenge against Bill 62 in Quebec Superior court.
In life, business, and in politics, it is often the decisive and assertive actions taken as things unfold before our eyes, proves to be the right decision. The wait and see approach might be beneficial when making individual decisions. However, in business and especially in politics it has often proven to be fatal. Prime Minister Trudeau, and his Federal Liberal government’s “Wait and See Approach,” on Quebec’s Provincially Liberal government over its recently introduced controversial Bill 62, directing public servants, such as hospital employees, doctors and nurses, bus drivers, educational institutes etc to deny or bar services to women who cover their faces, i.e. wearing the Niqab, will prove to be fatal.
The Federal government needs to realize that this is not an attack on some 80 women in Quebec who wear the Niqab. This is an attack on all Canadians and an attack on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom. The federal government has a legal, moral, and ethical obligation to defend all Canadians, especially the minorities, and the Charter, by challenging the Quebec’s controversial Bill 62 at the Supreme Court, rather than leaving on individuals and human rights activists, and groups to defend it.
To say the least, the federal government was clearly least bit interested in defending the rights of Canadian citizens affected by this draconian application of law, disguised as providing “a framework for religious accommodation requests in certain bodies.”
How can the federal government ignore such gross disrespect towards values enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom against a small, and already marginalized minority by a Quebec’s provincial Liberal government? This should have caused an outrageous uproar in Ottawa. Instead, the deafening silence by the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and his Liberal government on this sensitive issue has left all Canadians wondering in an absolute shock.
How can the federal government drop the burden on individuals, or individual human rights activists or civil liberties groups to defend and uphold the Canadian Charter? A responsibility which squarely is the domain of the Federal Government.
In past, September 2013, when the former Parti Quebecois government tried to introduce a similar law, disguised as Quebec’s “Charter of Values.” Prime Minister Trudeau, then, as a Quebecker, and as an opposition leader of the Liberal Party, was outraged. He penned an emotional article, published in the Globe and Mail titled, “I have faith in Quebec. So should you.” He wrote, “This summer, I met with Ms. Marois and we discussed this issue openly and frankly. I said to her what I believe to be true: Her plan does not do justice to Quebec, or Quebeckers. It would attack what we hold most dear – our right and freedom as individuals to express our beliefs within the context of universally recognized democratic laws and norms.”
PM Trudeau further added “There is no question that our government and our institutions must be neutral and secular. Church and state must be separate. But by what logic should we restrict the freedom of some Quebeckers to express their religious beliefs? Simply because they are not shared by the majority? This is a dangerous road, not just for religious minorities within Quebec, but for all minorities, everywhere.”
His article ended in a quote by the former Quebec Premier, the father of the separatist movement, “Simply put, this plan does not represent who we are. As René Lévesque himself said: As Quebeckers, we will be judged according to how we treat our minorities. The PQ government’s plan, if adopted, would see history render a very harsh verdict indeed.”
Back in September 2013, PM Trudeau was also one of the most outspoken federal politician speaking out against Parti Quebecois’ proposed bill, championing the rights of the minorities. in September 2013 he stated, "Madame [Pauline] Marois does not speak for all Quebecers when she puts forward an idea of forcing people to choose between their work and their religion, to set out an idea of second-class Quebecers who would not qualify to work in public institutions because of their religion."
So, what exactly has changed from September 2013 till present. Other than, in 2013, the Liberal party was not even an official opposition. Now they are the government.
Regardless whether a party is in government or an opposition. Our core values as an individual and as a group or party must neither change, nor should it prevent us from speaking out, when we see an apparent wrong being committed. Obviously, in past, PM Trudeau had no hesitation in championing the rights of the minorities in Quebec.
Why the Trudeau’s Liberals are remaining tight-lipped now is a mystery to all Canadians.
Two of the nation’s leading Civil Liberties groups, have filed a challenge against Quebec’s Bill 62. In response to the challenge filed, and the only thing the PM, Trudeau, had to say, “the federal government is actively studying ways in which it might also weigh in.” Really, “the federal government is still weighing in.”
The Canadian Press article published by the CBC stated, “Trudeau's remarks on Quebec's Bill 62 are the strongest indication he's given yet about the federal government's position on the law, which has been widely panned across the country for perceived discrimination against Muslim women.”
The Federal government is playing safe. Giving precedence to protecting its political position among Quebec voters, and not to infuriate others. All at the expense of a small minority group among the most marginalized ethnic minority in Canada.
Its already been a month since the controversial bill was passed, and PM Trudeau finally stated, “"We're looking at Bill 62 carefully, we're listening to the questions being asked about it and we're in the process of studying, internally, the different processes we could initiate or with whom we could join," Trudeau said. "But we will continue to reflect and to work on it."
Federal government has made its position clear of remaining as “Wait and See Approach” to this sensitive issue of legislated discrimination of Muslim women in Canada who wear niqab. "I will always defend the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and as for next steps, we're watching the situation as it unfolds and reflecting on what those steps might or could be." PM told the reports.
The federal government can afford to take the wait and see approach. As Canadians we shall never allow any form of attack on our collective values.
Footnotes:
|