Niqab during the oath

The wearing of a niqab or burka while taking the oath of citizenship is totally unacceptable. Prime Minister Stephen Harper is absolutely right in calling the wearing of this facial covering “offensive” when joining the Canadian family. In fact, it is offensive to many of us to see women covered with the niqab or burka at any time.

Women have worked long and hard for equality in this country. Demanding the right to cover one’s face, a degrading sign of anonymity, is the thin end of the wedge. The next demand will be to teach in schools while covered up. Do we learn nothing from the experience of European countries? If the law thinks the covering of the face is about religious freedom then as Charles Dickens stated, “the law is a ass — a idiot.” Angela Bailey, Ottawa