Is the PQ Canada's Taliban?

I love being a Canadian. I love the fact that we are a diverse country that welcomes newcomers and celebrates diversity. Toronto has the most diverse culture than any other city world-wide. I am Jewish and grew up, and continue to reside, in Oshawa (a small city by Toronto standards). Oshawa doesn’t have quite the diversity other places have but I faced little Anti-Semitism. In fact when I was a kid the teachers would have me stand in front of the class to teach about Jewish holidays such as Hanukkah. Everyone seemed to enjoy learning about a new culture. This is what makes Canada great.

When I heard about Quebec’s proposed Charter of Values and what it entails it made me sick. Quebec Premier Pauline Marois of the Parti Quebecois (a separatist party) has come up with this new charter. The charter would:

·         Ban “overt and conspicuous” religious symbols by public employees (including yarmulkes, turbans, head-coverings and hi-jabs).

·         Make it mandatory to have one’s face uncovered while providing or receiving a state service.

·         Entrench the concept of religious neutrality in the Quebec Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

It’s the first part that I have a problem with. It’s bad enough that Quebec and it’s language police already dictate what types of language private enterprise can have on its signs and the size of the font now it wants to tell people how to dress. Is it a province’s responsibility to dictate how people should dress? Despite all this the PQ insists that the Christian cross will remain in Quebec’s legislature. Hypocrisy or what? The PQ says there will be no “Religious Police” but I find that very hard to believe. I can seem them modeling this new police force after the Taliban’s officers that used to go around Afghanistan and whip people they thought were not following Islam properly.

From what I’ve read and heard the father of Quebec separatism and the PQ, Rene Levesque, would be disgusted if he saw what his party has turned into – a bunch of US southern style good ole boys. The PQs’ and Quebec nationalists’ main error in logic is they think they can legislate and use punitive measures to protect the Quebecois culture. From what I can see and from what I’ve heard the pundits state is that this is has not been the case. These types of Draconian measures have just driven business and responsible citizens out of the Province of Quebec. Cultures and religions have thrived without these measures just look at the Caribbean population in Canada its giant festival held annually in Toronto. Jewish people thrive in Canada as well as Italians, Greeks, Polish people and many others. All this diverse culture is thriving without impinging on other people’s beliefs.

 As long as someone is doing their job properly what business is it of mine what they wear on their heads or around there necks? What business is it of the government? I want my government to offer me services and keep my infrastructure intact not dictate how my fellow citizens express themselves culturally.

I say where your crosses, where your Star of David’s, put on a yarmulke, a hi-jab, a turban or a head scarf. Put up a Christmas tree in city hall and place a menorah beside it, heck put up an Islamic symbol a Wiccan symbol. As long as it doesn’t affect people’s safety bring it on. The more cultural diversity the better.

I’ve heard the pundits give various reasons for this proposed legislation by the PQ minority government. The overwhelming belief, and I concur, is that the PQ want the Charter to pass and then have it shot down in a court challenge (which will inevitably happen). That way the PQ can use this as an election issue to convince its paranoid population that the province must separate from the Rest of Canada. The PQ will say, look the Rest of Canada is interfering in our culture if we were our own country this would not happen. Then another referendum will commence causing more economic instability for the Rest of Canada. If a referendum is held in Quebec I say all the other provinces should hold their own. Our referendum question will be a simple one (not some convoluted, manipulative, question like Quebec’s past referendum ones have been): if Quebec separates can it keep our money, passports and northern lands? My answer would be a simple “NO”. Well maybe a “HELL NO”. 

Dave the Dude