Federal leaders chicken out against bigotry
THE SPECTATOR’S VIEW
“We all know what is going on here. It is nothing less than an attempt to play on people’s fears and foster prejudice, directly toward the Muslim faith. This is not the spirit of Canadian liberty, my friends.’”
That’s Justin Trudeau. But he’s not referring to Bill 62, the bigoted piece of legislation passed last week by the Quebec legislature. It will require Muslim women to receive and give public services with their faces uncovered. They’ll have to remove their face coverings in hospital waiting rooms, on buses and trains and any time they attend a public service facility. Not just for identification purposes, but for the duration of the time they are receiving service.
That quote from Trudeau would have been an appropriate response to Bill 62. Alas, it is from a speech he gave in March of 2015, accusing the Harper Conservatives of displaying racist attitudes. About Bill 62, Trudeau said he would study the “implications,” and that no government should tell a woman what or what not to wear. That’s it. No condemnation, no immediate sign the feds will lead or join any appeal.
What a difference a couple of years and ascension to national leadership make. Uncompromising ethical and leadership standards turn into equivocal mush. And Trudeau is not alone.
Conservative Andrew Scheer told a Kitchener radio interviewer: “Ultimately, this will be up to Quebecers to pass judgment on. It is a provincial law from the provincial legislature. We’ll see what happens in the courts.” Interesting that Scheer is suddenly so concerned about not stepping on provincial jurisdiction. He hasn’t hesitated to do so on much lesser matters. But on a matter of minority rights, it’s hands off.
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh had a more appropriate response, although even he wouldn’t go as far as to commit to joining an appeal. “I’m completely opposed to the bill, but I am completely confident in the existing protections that are in place in Quebec that will protect human rights,” Singh said, adding: “Fundamentally, we can’t have the state telling people what to wear, what not to wear.”
It’s fair to note that Singh doesn’t have as much at stake politically as the other two. Both Trudeau and Scheer have a lot riding on support from Quebec. And if opinion polls are to be believed, something like 80 per cent of respondents either support Bill 62 or don’t think it goes far enough.
So can Trudeau and Scheer really be blamed for being so skittish about upsetting Quebecers who support this institutionalized bigotry? The answer is yes. Some matters take precedence over political expedience and necessity. Some things are just right. Formally opposing Bill 62 and pledging to work toward its defeat is one of those things. Shame on Scheer and Trudeau.