Speaker kills NDP motion to allow kaffiyehs in legislature

The Speaker of Ontario’s legislature is standing by a ruling that bans people in the building from wearing kaffiyehs, which he says are being worn to make a political statement, even after the premier and all opposition parties asked him to reverse it.

The legislature has a long-standing rule that members can’t use props, signage or accessories intended to express a political statement, and Speaker Ted Arnott said after “extensive research” he has concluded that kaffiyehs meet that definition.

“It’s extremely politically sensitive, obviously, but procedurally I believe I made the right decision in the sense of past rulings of speakers and precedents and traditions,” Arnott said Thursday after question period.

“In my opinion, having done the research, it appeared to me that the kaffiyeh is being worn to make a political statement.”

A kaffiyeh is a checkered scarf typically worn in Arab cultures that has come to symbolize solidarity with Palestinians.

Members of provincial parliament often ask special permission to wear an item that may break the rules, such as ribbons for a particular cause’s awareness day.

NDP Leader Marit Stiles moved a unanimous consent motion Thursday morning saying the kaffiyeh is a culturally significant clothing item in Palestinian, Muslim and Arab communities and should be allowed in the house, but Arnott said he heard a few people say “no.”

The loudest “no” came from Progressive Conservative backbencher Robin Martin.

“I think (Arnott’s ruling) is the correct decision, in the same way we can’t use other kinds of political clothing,” she said after question period.

Martin’s position is in contrast to her leader’s, with Ford calling on the Speaker to reverse his decision.