Gatineau mayoral candidates denounce face-covering ban
Gatineau’s five candidates for mayor have finally found something they agree on.
The mayoral hopefuls, as well as four council candidates in the downtown Hull-Wright ward, have unanimously denounced Quebec’s controversial face-covering ban.
“It’s a bad answer to a problem that doesn’t exist,” Mayor Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin told a meeting requested by members of the Muslim community Friday night.
“I do not understand how it facilitates secularism, gender equality and even less coexistence. It’s an approach that … is fundamentally bad.”
A Pedneaud-Jobin spokesman added Saturday that the candidate strongly supports the Union des municipalités du Quebec’s condemnation of the law.
The meeting was organized by the Islamic Centre of the Outaouais to address concerns over the bill, which would require that face coverings be removed to give or receive public services in Quebec, notably in public transportation, hospitals and clinics.
Pedneaud-Jobin’s denunciation was echoed by his opponents.
“It’s unacceptable,” said former councillor and mayoral candidate Sylvie Goneau, who vowed the city would not implement measures such as requiring drivers to verify the identity of passengers.
Denis Tassé, another ex-councillor running for mayor, also expressed opposition to the law, while candidate Clément Bélanger, who is also a senior federal public servant, also called the bill “unacceptable.”
Candidate Rémi Bergeron felt that the law needed extensive revision.
“Just talking about the bus drivers, they should not be caught in this amalgam,” he said.
The candidates also addressed concerns for visible minorities’ role in the West Quebec centre.
Pedneaud-Jobin acknowledged work remained to be done, but said organizations such as the Gatineau police have taken steps to improve.
The city also plans a summit on “working together” for the spring, he said.
Goneau, meanwhile, said if she is elected mayor, she will bring back a report that was rejected by council last year that would have included several equity measures, including ones for women and visible minorities.