But the protests, the cries of racism and "Islamophobia," are sure to come -- and then Quebec authorities are likely to cave. "Muslims seeking female clerk can 'line up again,'" by Graeme Hamilton for the National Post, March 17 (thanks to all who sent this in):
MONTREAL -- In recent years, the few fully veiled Muslim women who had dealings with Quebec's health-insurance board could choose to be served by a woman to avoid exposing their faces to a man outside their family.But in the latest example of the province's growing resistance to the accommodation of minority religious practices, the insurance board on Tuesday announced the end of the policy after the provincial human rights commission said it has no duty to acquiesce.
"From now on, for a woman who is veiled with a niqab or a burka and comes to our office asking to be photographed by a woman, the answer is no," said Marc Lortie, spokesman for the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec. "Line up again, or come back another day." [...]
"If you want to integrate into Quebec society, here are our values," Immigration Minister Yolande James told reporters last week. "We want to see your face." Ms. Ahmed has filed a complaint with the Quebec Human Rights Commission. [...]
"Generally speaking, staff at Ontario service centres are very aware of cultural requirements and diversity and we do our best to accommodate individual situations," said Alan Cairns, a spokesman for the Ministry of Government Services.
The furor over the still rarely seen niqab is a clear sign that Quebec's debate over the "reasonable accommodation" of religious and ethnic minorities has returned with full force....
Yep. And it's going to keep on returning.
It's of no significance where push-back occurs, just that it occurs. To say "Enough is enough" is well and good, but it's of little importance unless it's followed by stern action.
Quebec may not have been the place one might predict where a "When in Rome" moment would occur, but that it is happening there is cause for us to recognize Quebec's pride in its established ways and heritage, cultural attributes that have been hard earned. And to keep them they must be defended.
God bless the French Canucks.
Go Redwings.
Just show the french are nothing but racist unfit to govern themself.
What's wrong with these dhimmis. Don't the their place on allah's earth???
If only all the western world gets this kind of backbone, we may see an end to Muslim demands and perhaps their perpetual jihad. May be the rest of Canada learns something from these brave Quebec folks.
Encourage burqa wearing people to go back to burqalands!!!
Correction:
What's wrong with these dhimmis. Don't they know their place on allah's earth???
If only all the western world gets this kind of backbone, we may see an end to Muslim demands and perhaps their perpetual jihad. May be the rest of Canada learns something from these brave Quebec folks.
Encourage burqa wearing people to go back to burqalands!!!
Well the French are anti-dhimmi (which is good), as seen in France, so it wasn't a surprise that if it was any region of Canada that would oppose it first it would be Quebec.
When I go to the DMV I don't care what the sex of the photographer is. But when I choose a primary care provider I choose a woman (sorry guys). It is a matter of comfort level for me, not religion.
I see no problem with any woman choosing or requesting a woman doctor over a man, but if the only doctor that is available is a man, then you have to use him.
"If you want to integrate into Quebec society, here are our values," Immigration Minister Yolande James told reporters last week. "
That's the problem - they don't want to integrate, they want to change your values!
"DefenderofIslam: wrote:
Just show the french are nothing but racist unfit to govern themself (sic).
...................
How is it "racist" to insist that everyone follow the same egalitarian rules?
And remind me—exactly what race is Islam, again?
"Quebec authorities are likely to cave."
Actually, I expect Quebec will not cave in. Quebec has been culturally protective for oh say the last 150 years, going so far as to obligate the rest of the nation to put up French signs where close to 0% of the population speaks French.
In Canada, it is therefore ironic, that the reason so many Muslims are allowed into Quebec, mostly from Somalia, is because they happen to speak French, and Quebec immigration has much less restrictions on people who speak French being let in.
Watch for this clash of cultures to get ugly, fast, and for Quebec to not cave in. They have been resisting cultural change like no other society in the west has for years.
"If you want to integrate into Quebec society, here are our values," Immigration Minister Yolande James told reporters last week.
- it makes me wanna live in Quebec, too bad I don't speak French. That kind of guys we need here.
They should make that phrase a national slogan for the rest of Canada.
Indeed ironic that it is Quebec rejecting one aspect of multicultural orthodoxy. Quebec, which has been used as a model by perhaps the world's leading academic proponent of multiculturalism,the Canadian, Will Kymlicka.
In his latest work of substance, "Multicultural Odysseys: Navigating the New International Politics of Diversity" 2007, Kymlicka demonstrates little grasp of the realities of Muslim migration (and no understanding whatsoever concerning stealth jihad), spending at best about eight pages in over three hundred attempting to come to grips with the problem. But then entirely demonstrating the liberal detached hauteur that results from, I suspect, a slowly sinking and chilling realization that his life's work is becoming more irrelevant by the day.
The tragedy for us all is that this intellectual's theories have become fully embedded in the West, within academia, the media, and the political elites. Of some arguable value and relevance in the non-Muslim context, these ideas have utterly failed when applied to Islam and Muslims.
Since when is islam a race?? You cannot call the french racist, they are just protecting their heritage which islam seems to have no problem destroying on a global scale.. Its pathetic how governments bend over backwards and the general public take it in the ass when ever the government decides to implement some policy to avoid offending immigrants..and their brainwashed offspring..Cant wait for the day when we get Christmas trees and nativity scenes back in the public and govt offices again..The jehovahs witnesses were not Offended by these displays, It was Muslims that did all the complaining...I would have said suck it up buttercup..get over it and adapt already..
First, I must clear up a misapprehension.
The Quebecois are not like the French in France, descended from them though they may be. They are truly a breed apart. Quebecers have fought for and won the right to be a "distinct society" within Canada.
Many times throughout my life, I've been fed up, exasperated and angered by the special treatment Quebec has received, and for all the extra money they've been given by the Canadian government.
But when it comes to islam, Quebec has stood firm on several occasions, and for this I applaud them. And I've come to realize that Canada needs Quebec, and I'm glad "La Belle Province is part of my beautiful country.
In cases like this, all Islamosavvy Canadians should be getting behind the Quebecois and telling them loud and clear - 'we're with you! DON'T give in to the Mohammedans!'
Every time folks in Quebec take the fight to the Mohammedans and win, other Canadians must cheer them on; it will encourage further displays of backbone, and those in turn may inspire *other* parts of Canada to follow suit, to also resist Sharia Creep.
Canada's special cultural cocktail of Anglo-Scot-Irish plus French plus Native Canadian has NO place for Islam. Islam just *does not belong* in the land that gave the world such feisty fictional heroines as 'Anne of Green Gables' and 'Emily of New Moon'.
Might be time for an enterprising Islamosavvy Canadian to come up with a T-shirt or anorak.
Featuring the red maple leaf of Canada, and the words 'We will not submit!' written in: Arabic, English, French, Gaelic, Ojibwe, Miq-Maq and one of the main Inuktitut dialects.
Stand fast Quebec and remember Les Patriotes.
Je me souviens.
"Just show the french are nothing but racist unfit to govern themself."
You are deflecting, doi. Just another one of your tactical moves in an effort to get our eyes off of the real enemy: islam.
Sorry, it won't work, though ....
I am a bilingual Québecoise from Laval (North Montreal suburb)...
=)
Reading these news today, reassured me. BUT only for a few minutes. For as you said Monsieur Spencer, it's going to keep on returning. This is still only the pale beginning...
Merci Monsieur Spencer.
"If you want to integrate into Quebec society, here are our values," Immigration Minister Yolande James told reporters last week. "
Can we have some of that?
"But when it comes to islam, Quebec has stood firm on several occasion"
From one of the posters above.
Last time I checked Herouxville caved in.
http://sheikyermami.com/2007/02/15/mummenschanz-visits-herouxville-in-intimidation-campaign/
Sheik,
At least they're trying!
The Quebec Soccer Association in 2007 tossed out a player for wearing the hijab.
At http://herouxville-quebec.blogspot.com/
"The province's neo-Herouxvillian document is simpler and much less objectionable than the original model -- but it surely never would have been adopted in the first place if the little community hadn't thrown down the gauntlet. From now on, immigrants entering Quebec will have to indicate their understanding and agreement that Quebec is a pluralist, liberal-democratic society where French is the official language, the sexes are equal, church and state are separate and secular law takes precedence over religion, though everyone is free to observe his own faith."
So Herouxville did some good, after all.
Baby steps, but every little bit of anti-dhimmitude helps!
Evidence of intelligent life in Quebec.
Welcome back, my illiterate friend. What race did you say islam is...?