Excerpt:
Multiculturalism is threatening to ruin Canada by purporting that all cultures are equal. How this definition reconciles those cultures that practice and affirm Strict Shariah with that of our democratic system of human rights is beyond reason.
The niqab is a sticky point in Canada. It is the ultimate symbol of female oppression. It also denies the rest of society the right to see what could be hidden under that garb, translating into potential safety issues. As for the importance of body language, it is the primary way we communicate and a critical factor in law enforcement and in our courts.
Last year in Ontario:
A judge has ordered a Toronto woman to testify without her niqab at a sexual assault trial – raising the thorny issue of whether Muslim women should be allowed to appear as witnesses wearing a veil that covers everything but the eyes.
A relative of the woman said it's distressing the judge has exceeded his "jurisdiction and ventured into the interpretation of religious laws concerning the veil, not to mention the fact that … (she) has observed the veil for many years in accordance with her" beliefs.