Muslims told not to wear veils when they vote in Quebec
{{date|March 24, 2007}}
{{Canadian news}}

Muslims in the province of [[w:Quebec|Quebec]] have been told to remove their [[w:Veil|veils]] on next Monday's [[w:Quebec general election, 2007|Quebec general election]].

[[Image:EFatima in UAE with niqab.jpg|left|100px|thumb|A niqab.]]
Marcel Blanchet, Quebec's chief [[w:Chief Electoral Officer (Canada)|returning officer]], says he is using special grants to make this law. He also hired two bodyguards after the office had received threatening phone calls and e-mails. Some residents were also promising to wear the [[w:niqāb|niqāb]], a veil which covers the whole face except for the eyes, on Monday's vote.

But before he made this decision, Blanchet allowed voters to wear the niqāb on voting day only if they showed their ID and voting card. Blanchet, however, was criticized by  all three main Quebec party leaders for that decision.

"Relevant articles to electoral laws were modified to add the following: any person showing up at a polling station must be uncovered to exercise the right to vote," he said.

Sarah Elgazzar, of the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations, said, in her opinion, that this will discourage Muslim voters to show up on election day.

An eleven-year-old [[w:Ontario|Ontario]] girl, who played at a soccer tournament in Quebec in February, was removed from the tournament after she refused to take off her headscarf at the request of the referee. A Muslim woman, who worked at a prison in Quebec, last week, was fired from her job after she also refused to take off her veil.

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/National/2007/03/24/3820991-sun.html
|title=Quebec bars veil at election booth
|author=Canadian Press
|pub=London Free Press
|date=March 24, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17765379/
|title=Quebec bans Muslim face veils in polling places
|author=Associated Press
|pub=MSNBC
|date=March 24, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.localnewsleader.com/elytimes/stories/index.php?action=fullnews&id=84785
|title=Muslim face veil banned in Quebec vote
|author=Phil Couvrette - Associated Press
|pub=Ely Times
|date=March 23, 2007}}
{{update|New bill will ban Muslims from wearing veils at polls}}

{{publish}}
{{Archive-unreviewed}}
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:Canada]]
[[Category:Quebec]]
[[Category:Elections]]
[[Category:Elections in Canada]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Islam]]
[[Category:Council on American–Islamic Relations]]

[[fr:Québec : le directeur général des élections interdit la participation des personnes voilées au vote du 26 mars]]
Muslims in the province of Quebec have been told to remove their veils on next Monday's Quebec general election.

A niqab.
Marcel Blanchet, Quebec's chief returning officer, says he is using special grants to make this law. He also hired two bodyguards after the office had received threatening phone calls and e-mails. Some residents were also promising to wear the niqāb, a veil which covers the whole face except for the eyes, on Monday's vote.

But before he made this decision, Blanchet allowed voters to wear the niqāb on voting day only if they showed their ID and voting card. Blanchet, however, was criticized by  all three main Quebec party leaders for that decision.

"Relevant articles to electoral laws were modified to add the following: any person showing up at a polling station must be uncovered to exercise the right to vote," he said.

Sarah Elgazzar, of the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations, said, in her opinion, that this will discourage Muslim voters to show up on election day.

An eleven-year-old Ontario girl, who played at a soccer tournament in Quebec in February, was removed from the tournament after she refused to take off her headscarf at the request of the referee. A Muslim woman, who worked at a prison in Quebec, last week, was fired from her job after she also refused to take off her veil.

fr:Québec : le directeur général des élections interdit la participation des personnes voilées au vote du 26 mars
North America Canada Quebec Elections Elections in Canada Politics and conflicts Religion Islam Council on American–Islamic Relations