Muslim women wearing niqabs in Quebec

Christinne Muschi/The Globe and Mail

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Removing the Veil

A new law that would restrict Muslim veils in Quebec reflects widespread questions about cultural identity and religious freedom

December 11, 2017
By Bryan Brown
Jim McMahon/Mapman®

Like many Muslim women, Warda Naili considers covering her hair and face in public a sign of modesty—and an essential part of her faith. That doesn’t mean it’s easy to do, she told The New York Times. “Every time I go out, someone tells me . . . ‘Go back to your country,’” says Naili, who grew up in Canada.

For Muslim women in the Canadian province of Quebec, wearing a veil in public has now become even harder. Officials there recently passed a law banning people in face coverings from receiving public services or working in government jobs. The law will prohibit public workers like doctors and teachers from covering their faces at work. It will also require people to reveal their faces when receiving services such as a medical exam. Experts say it is the first such ban in North America.

Quebec officials say that the new law is necessary for security reasons (so that a bus driver can verify a photo ID, for example). The measure is also meant to reduce the presence of religious symbols in public, reinforcing a principle of “religious neutrality,” they say. 

The law doesn’t specifically mention Muslim veils (see sidebar). Yet Canadian Muslims say the new rule singles them out, adding to a bias they already experience. “The law will only put oil on the fire,” says Naili.

Like many Muslim women, Warda Naili covers her hair and face in public. She considers it to be a sign of modesty. It is also an essential part of her faith. But that doesn’t mean it is easy to do, she told The New York Times. “Every time I go out, someone tells me . . . ‘Go back to your country,’” says Naili. She grew up in Canada.

For Muslim women in the Canadian province of Quebec, wearing a veil in public has now become even harder. Officials there recently passed a law that bans people in face coverings from receiving public services. It bans them from working in government jobs too. The law will prohibit public workers like doctors and teachers from covering their faces at work. It will also require people to show their faces when receiving services such as a medical exam. Experts say it is the first such ban in North America.

Quebec officials say that the new law is necessary for security reasons. For example, it would enable a bus driver to verify a photo ID. The measure is also meant to reduce the presence of religious symbols in public. This is supposed to reinforce a principle of “religious neutrality,” officials say.

The law does not specifically mention Muslim veils (see sidebar, below). Yet Canadian Muslims say the new rule singles them out. They say it adds to a bias they already experience. “The law will only put oil on the fire,” says Naili.

Safeguarding Cultural Values?

Controversies over head coverings are becoming more common in parts of the West, as immigration from Muslim nations in the Middle East and North Africa increases. In Europe, the movement to ban veils has been growing for more than a decade. Germany, France, Belgium, Austria, and Bulgaria all have laws that seek to regulate the covering of women’s faces in public.

Controversies over head coverings are becoming more common in parts of the West. Immigration from Muslim nations in the Middle East and North Africa is increasing to the West. In Europe, the movement to ban veils has been growing for more than a decade. Germany, France, Belgium, Austria, and Bulgaria all have laws aiming to regulate women’s face coverings in public.

Controversies over head coverings are becoming more common in parts of the West.

Experts say the measures reflect a widespread fear of radical Islam and terrorism. The laws are also intended to safeguard national or Western cultural values.

France in particular expects newcomers to assimilate. The country restricts symbols that may clash with its secular tradition of keeping religion out of public life. In 2004, France banned religious symbols in schools. A 2011 law prohibits niqabs in public places.

Experts say the measures reflect a widespread fear of radical Islam and terrorism. The laws are also meant to protect national or Western cultural values.

France in particular expects newcomers to assimilate. The country restricts symbols that may clash with its secular tradition of keeping religion out of public life. In 2004, France banned religious symbols in schools. A 2011 law prohibits niqabs in public places.

Greater Acceptance

In the United States, a tradition of religious diversity and the First Amendment’s protections of religious freedom have led to a greater acceptance of head coverings. Muslim veils are even protected by law. In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that retailer Abercrombie & Fitch had discrim­inated against a Muslim woman by not hiring her because of her hijab.

Still, virtually all official photo IDs—including U.S. passports and state driver’s licenses—require the face to be visible. In 2003, a Florida judge ruled that the state’s insistence that a Muslim woman’s face appear on her license didn’t violate her religious rights.

In the United States, there is a greater acceptance of head coverings. That is due to a tradition of religious diversity. It also is due to the First Amendment’s protections of religious freedom. Muslim veils are even protected by law. In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that retailer Abercrombie & Fitch had discriminated against a Muslim woman. The company had not hired her because she wore a hijab.

Still, nearly all official photo IDs such as U.S. passports and state driver’s licenses require the face to be visible. In 2003, a Florida judge ruled that the state had not violated a Muslim woman’s religious rights by insisting that her face appear on her license.

Promising Fairness

In general, Canada has also become more accepting of head coverings. The famed Royal Canadian Mounted Police now allow female Muslim officers to wear a hijab with the traditional red Mountie uniform. 

Things are more complicated in Quebec, the only Canadian province where most people speak French. Quebec is protective of its differences from the rest of Canada. Like France, it seeks to retain its unique identity even as it absorbs immigrants from different cultures.

For now, it is uncertain whether Canada’s national government can or will challenge Quebec’s law. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has criticized the law, saying, “I don’t think it’s the government’s business to tell a woman what she should or shouldn’t be wearing.” 

Meanwhile, Quebec officials insist the law will be applied fairly. For instance, they say, a woman has to show her face when boarding a bus requiring a photo ID but can remain veiled during the ride. 

Says Stéphanie Vallée, Quebec’s minister of justice, “We do not have the intention of setting up an uncovered-face police.”

In general, Canada has also become more accepting of head coverings. The famed Royal Canadian Mounted Police now allow female Muslim officers to wear a hijab. They wear it along with the traditional red Mountie uniform.

Things are more complicated in Quebec. That is the only Canadian province where most people speak French. Quebec is protective of its differences from the rest of Canada. Like France, it wants to keep its unique identity even as it absorbs immigrants from different cultures.

For now, it is uncertain whether Canada’s national government can or will challenge Quebec’s law. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has criticized the law. He said, “I don’t think it’s the government’s business to tell a woman what she should or shouldn’t be wearing.”

Meanwhile, Quebec officials insist that the law will be applied fairly. For instance, they say that a woman has to show her face when boarding a bus that requires a photo ID. However, she can remain veiled during the ride.

Says Stéphanie Vallée, Quebec’s minister of justice, “We do not have the intention of setting up an uncovered-face police.”

CORE QUESTION: What are the “cultural values” that some places say they’re protecting by banning veils?

A Guide to Muslim Veils 

Muslim women around the world wear a variety of garments that cover the face, hair, or whole body, depending on personal choice or local custom.

QuickHoney

Hijab
A hijab covers a woman’s hair but not her face. It’s most common in the West and in less conservative Muslim countries.

Hijab
A hijab covers a woman’s hair but not her face. It’s most common in the West and in less conservative Muslim countries.

QuickHoney

Chador
The chador is a full-body cloak that covers a woman’s hair but not her face. It is worn by many Iranian women.

Chador
The chador is a full-body cloak that covers a woman’s hair but not her face. It is worn by many Iranian women.

QuickHoney

Abaya
A head-to-toe black cloak that women in Saudi Arabia are required to wear in public, the abaya can be worn with or without a face veil.

Abaya
A head-to-toe black cloak that women in Saudi Arabia are required to wear in public, the abaya can be worn with or without a face veil.

QuickHoney

Niqab
The niqab is a head-to-toe garment worn by conser-vative Muslims. It cloaks the body and face, leaving a slit for the eyes.

Niqab
The niqab is a head-to-toe garment worn by conser-vative Muslims. It cloaks the body and face, leaving a slit for the eyes.

QuickHoney

Burqa
The most concealing garment, the burqa covers the entire face and body, leaving just a mesh screen to see through.

Burqa
The most concealing garment, the burqa covers the entire face and body, leaving just a mesh screen to see through.

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