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...?
There is one clear answer to stealth jihad and terrorist jihad. Girt Wilders has the right idea. STOP all immigration from muslim countries. Make them integrate or leave. Close all mosques and ban the quran.
We buy oil from muslims so that they can buy our countries and infultrate our governments and with the help of our human rights laws to kick us in the teeth. You cannot afford to be kind to islamists they see it as weakness.
Robert:
I disagree that the Quebec authourities will cave in. When Charles Taylor and his co-comissioner whent travelling around the province to hear Quebecois about religious accomdation, as part of a provincial commission, he was taken aback by the vehemence against burkas and hijabs.
My only criticism is the Quebecois want to imitate the French laicité. That's unncessessary as Quebec has always been anti-revolutionary. What I prefer is that Quebec reaffirm its Catholic roots that include religious latitindarism but the minorities must respect Quebec's values with respect to freedom of wworship, the dignity and equality of men and women, etc.
So the Quebec government needs to be far more selective with its immigration and take in, say the Berbers and Iraqi Christans (who speak French and are moderate Francophiles) and keep out the integrists.
Support for shar'ia and the burka automatically disqualify the candidates from consideration
xavier
I’m a French Montreal guy and I’m overwhelmed with emotion reading these. We get such a rare sense of validation. We welcome immigrants and enjoy them very much. It is imperative though that they fully accept and embrace our customs (the good ones anyway), that they let their offspring marry our sons and daughters without any threats. This way they’ll make our stock stronger. As guests they must not come with the idea of changing us: they have to become like us. Multiculturalism has come to a head now and we are reassessing.
We don’t have an immigrant problem per se. But we have a problem with our left-leaning U.S.-bashing existentialistic intelligentsia (yes, this is a mouthful). Their utopia is slowly turning into our dystopia. They are pervasive within our public broadcasting corporations. Nothing to worry though: our conservative government is slowly withdrawing funding to their great dismay.
thingol5,
Nice to hear your take on this.
Thankfully we don't seem to have these issues....yet....in Nova Scotia.
Perhaps muslims may actually contribute to bringing our "Two Solitudes" together at last.
Quebec is protective as they were in the 70s.
They will begin to determine these people as unfit and a problem. They fought the English, and have a history of being aggressive with their culture. (Like another group)
The Muslims in their war with the west expect us to roll over and do tricks with the magic word "racist"
These people are not the same. They defend their way of life with french language police, and tear down English signs. Sun life left there because of their extreme views.
In the end they will lose if they allow Islam to set up shop there, and eat up the economy through welfare and special accommodation, street gangs, expenses, mosques, etc.
When they decide to raise their Minaret Mordor towers for their dark lords there will be a huge backlash.
Quebec has taken the least numbers possible, and they do their own immigration. PC is different there. It involves keeping non Francophones out.
So, it is a model for the west.
BTW, I am Canadian!
Dennis
"O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee."
And in French -
O Canada!
Terre de nos aïeux,
Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux.
Car ton bras sait porter l'épée,
Il sait porter la croix.
Ton histoire est une épopée,
Des plus brillants exploits.
Et ta valeur, de foi trempée,
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.
- From your southern-most province, New Hampshire. Congrats on that gold medal.
ImNoDhimmi,
I love your name: it needs to be proclaimed loud and clear. We live in a society filled with contradictions and I have my own.
I voted for our current Quebec Liberal Party and I came to wish they had a little more backbone when they back down from good ideas they had themselves when the heat got up. Politics here tend to be ugly and petty. This statement from Yolande James is so dead on though.
The ones which have the insight in this issue is the Parti Quebecois (and the Alliance Democratique)and I find myself unable to vote for them. This is an older crowd slowly fading away in terms of their nationalistic stance.
This is indeed a beautiful hymn. The way we sing it at the Olympics is in combining the beginning and ending of the English part with a French middle. These are actually the best ones.
Like so many other countries we fail to appreciate the true freedom we enjoy here. This land was harsh (although there were no winter to speak of this time)and we've experienced wars and the freedom we currently have has been hard fought for and is at the same time a gift from God. We (including our native friends) don't need to squander our birthright to a sneaky self-destructive ideology, but should share it with people of good will.
Thanks and Merci tanstaafl..Live Free or Die eh..JW'ers..Welcome Bienvenue to Aislin's (Terry Mosher)world.
http://www.montrealgazette.com/opinion/editorial-cartoons/index.html#
Sorry..Friday March 12 link needs direct access.
http://www.montrealgazette.com/opinion/editorial-cartoons/index.html#
Good to see Quebec standing up to these nut-jobs. What absolute audacity to think that any culture has to make concessions for mozoid idiocy! Everybody else in the world has to somewhat accommodate the host country but these morons think that they are exceptional by some kind of divine right. I could not think of any religion that had less reason to be treated special, not that any should be. Anyway, mozoidism is not a religion it is a social-political philosophy that condones its followers' acting out their base, lowest instincts, while it upholds a total lack of self-respect as a virtue. I hope that Quebec doesn't cave in at the 11th hour. I have a feeling it won't because more Western countries are showing some "gatz" for a change, and it will maybe be inspired by them.
Jaladhi,
If only the French of France had gotten this one right a long time ago - they wouldn't be in the mess they are in right now.
Go Canada - for this alone you deserved the medals you won in the Olympics. I'm glad you are our neighbor to the north...and not some wishy-washy place like (insert name here)
Peace.