Religious accommodation undermines our society. Every time we formally recognize the childish superstitions of a religion we pick away another thread from the fabric of our culture. Canada will soon look like an old frayed shirt ready to be tossed away.
Last week this paper reported on the lengths the Correctional Service of Canada has gone to make a Muslim woman currently training to be a prison guard in the Kingston area feel like her new work environment resembles a mosque as much as possible.
The woman’s been granted permission to wear long sleeves and gloves to avoid skin-to-skin contact with males. The CSC is devising a special hijab for her to cover her hair with. She’s going to be able to take prayer breaks throughout the day. The CSC also formed a working group to come up with ways to ensure the woman’s cultural needs were accommodated.
How much money in employee hours have been lost by wringing our hands over these shenanigans? Lots. How much should we have lost? None. You don’t want to come in physical contact with men? Then don’t apply for a job that requires you to do just that.
We don’t charge a special Muslim tax so why are we providing a special Muslim service? Most eight-hour shift jobs come with a half hour lunch break and two fifteen minute breaks. If you need to leave to pray, have a smoke or play on your kazoo then you’re more than welcome to — during your break.
People don’t choose to be disabled. They end up that way. But we rightfully understand that their worth as human beings hasn’t been diminished because of their disability so we try our best to create workplaces that allow them to make their contribution to society.
But people do choose to be religious. They choose to pray five times a day and not eat certain foods. That has nothing to do with civil society — the world we all share together — and all to do with how they choose to live their private life. And you know what? We as Canadians don’t believe in intruding on people’s private life.
The failed logic here is that some Muslims and bureaucrats obviously believe that, inversely, private life should be able to intrude on public life.
I have no doubt that many people will agree with me that the CSC should not be using our tax dollars to kowtow to religions. But don’t forget the dangerous moralizing that’s also happening here. They’re telling us that people’s religious beliefs trump the rules of civil society.
They’re telling us that if there is a clash between our normative principles — the laws and standards we create to ensure that we, in our diversity, can all get along — and someone’s religion, then that religion is going to win.
For instance, the reason the woman needs to wear gloves is because she believes it’s unclean to touch men who aren’t her husband. She also needs to cover her hair because she believes that us guys view her as a sexual object. Personally, I find that offensive, but I know that living in a free country entitles her to those views. It’s the CSC that’s taking it too far by offering government support to her sexist views.
The bottom line on employment equity in Canada is this: We don’t discriminate against anyone. If you can fulfil the job requirements you should be considered for the job. Just don’t expect the requirements to change to suit your prejudices.
Political correctness has made some people in this country blind to this last point.
One more spin in the washing machine and this frayed shirt might be unwearable.