Standing Up for Veiled Voters
September 26, 2007Canadians went to the polls earlier this month in a series of Federal by-elections marked by controversy. Chief Electoral Officer Marc Mayrand announced that in light of the Canada Elections Act he would not require women wearing burka or veils to show their faces in order verify their identity. Until recently this was not an issue as there was no requirement to present photo identification when voting. However, that changed when Parliament recently passed Bill C-31, which amended the Canada Elections Act to include a new requirement; that voters present photo identification. As a result, the question of how to identify women who wear veils was raised.
Within the Canada Elections Act, there is no reference to veils or face coverings, but there is an alternative to photo identification for people to prove their identity. They must sign an affidavit and have another eligible voter from the same polling district vouch for them. There is no clause in the Elections Act explicitly stating that voters must show their face. As a result, the Chief Electoral Officer told members of Parliament that he had no plans to require women to lift their veil when voting. Moreover, Mr. Mayrand also noted that by allowing 80,000 people to vote by mail-in-ballot, a procedure where no photo identification is required, it is the legislature's intention to allow, under specific circumstances, exemption from the photo identification rule.
Many members of Parliament, including Prime Minister Stephen Harper, were outraged at Mr. Mayrand's decision. Yet, despite their position that women should be required to lift their veils when voting, these same Parliamentarians chose not to include that requirement in the recent amendment to the Elections Act. According to the Canadian Constitution, the only branch of government vested with the power to legislate is the legislature. This power is not given to highly-placed administrators and bureaucrats. If the members of Parliament feel strongly about this issue, they should pass legislation requiring women to unveil themselves before voting, regardless of the political price they may pay.
The Canada Elections Act outlines the responsibilities of the Chief Electoral Officer. He has a general duty to oversee the direction and supervision of elections and to ensure their impartiality and the powers to enforce the Act. It is not the place of the Chief Electoral Officer to interpret the law; he is there simply to implement it. The decision whether a person can wear a veil while voting is outside his jurisdiction; he must follow the law. Only the government has the power to make changes to Canadians' constitutional rights.
Politicians are well aware of the how important the vote of new Canadians is today and they don't want to offend this growing demographic. But they can't have it both ways. Essentially, Parliament tried to have Mr. Maynard enforce the above-mentioned position and, at the same time, avoid responsibility for any fallout from their decision. In their reluctance to offend new voters, they are pressuring others to do the dirty work for them. They should have the courage of their convictions... but then, I guess, they wouldn't be politicians.
Canadians should applaud Mr. Mayrand as he is safeguarding their democratic right to hold the government accountable for its laws and policies.
7 Comments:
When they can Immigrate and become citizens and change their motherland, what is wrong to adopt that country customs and traditions. Why not follow what everyone else does. Why some people like to still hang on to their sentiments. Why, the same God didn't tell them not to change the motherland. Be a roman in rome....that's as simple as this. Harper is right. Well, I believe religion should not be worn on the sleeve, but practised in the heart.
I fully agree. I plan on migrating to Canada, and ofcourse things will be different there, but I'll adapt to their customs and traditions. Well said!
Vincent - The Netherlands
Yes, I quite agreed with this statemwnt. Once the person changes is motherland, he should follow their culture and abide with their tenets.
I totaly agree with that; religion is something that is practiced in the heart. beside that veiled muslim women can choose to reveal their faces to vote (which is not against islamic rules) or just don't vote !
By the way I'm a muslim male and planning to migrate to Canada :)
Yes I agree, too. Everyone should follow the lead of the white Europeans who came to Canada many years ago - leaving their religion behind to live in teepees.
I really like this comment "Yes I agree, too. Everyone should follow the lead of the white Europeans who came to Canada many years ago - leaving their religion behind to live in teepees".
All these european could have adopted to the local indian religion but they did not. So, why complain ? Just let everyone do whatever they want to do as long as they do not harm you. And I do not see how could a veil harm someone? Does the curley hair and kepa harm ? Now to be honest personally I do not like the veil either but hey give them a break!
"So, why complain ? Just let everyone do whatever they want to do as long as they do not harm you." There are different types of harm, physical harm that the extremists carry out and the more subtle harm of loss of Canadian identity when we are overtaken by immigrants who refuse to adapt to Canada and instead demand that we adapt to them. The burka is a prime example, if a masked man walked down the street it would be assumed he was hiding something illegal. So why are women allowed? The turban in the RCMP is another example. This country can't have different laws for every special interest group who arrives. And the squeaky wheel gets the grease, the most vocal and pushy get the changes they demand. Who stands up for Canadians?
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