14 December 2011
The BBC reports that the Canadian government has banned the wearing of veils for individuals wishing to take the oath of citizenship. One of the reasons given by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration-according to the article-appears to be that question of whether or not the applicant was actually reciting the oath.
Here are some brief excerpts from the article:
Canada’s government has introduced a ban on the wearing of veils while
swearing the oath of citizenship.
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Jason Kenney told a news conference
in Montreal anyone wanting to become a Canadian would have to show their face.
He said citizenship judges and MPs had complained it could be hard to tell if
veiled applicants were actually reciting the oath…
Mr Kenney dismissed the idea that the ban could infringe the religious freedom
of those taking the oath…
“This is a public act of witness in front of your fellow citizens, in front of the law
and you should be willing to show yourself in that public act of witness. I think
it’s very straightforward.”
Mr Kenney also announced further language requirements for new immigrants.
Some European countries are also debating the issue. France and Belgium have
introduced a ban on wearing the full Islamic veil in public.
Links to more articles, on this story, can be found below…
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BBC
Reuters
