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Niqab Issue – Manufacturing Distraction.
9-22-2015
One of Canada’s most famous commentator at CBC, Mr. Rex Murphy, in his March 12, 2015 commentary on Niqab hit the nail on the its head, “We’re being gamed on this.” There is absolutely no other way to explain this except that, yes “We’re” as an every Canadian is being gamed on this, as Niqab Ban being used as a diversion to keep Canadians raising concerns about the real issues faced by Canadians each day, economy, healthcare, education, crime, social services, and other issues which the Canadians need answers, future of Canada Pension Plan, rising unemployment, and Recession – “Technical” or otherwise.
Mr. Murphy started his commentary, “Hamlet once spoke of finding a quarrel in a straw. We have one of those right now in Canada. The so-called Niqab debate. It’s vastly over inflated, politically inspired, media driven and diversion from the issues of broader consequences, and genuine significance.”
He describes how political parties are exploiting this issue, “what about jobs, people are losing jobs in oil industry… is there an articulated response what if the economy slows down” and he hits the nail by saying, “it amplifies the noise of the wedge politics, and the Niqab storm is just that, posturing on a non-event, draw supporters, raise funds, and reassure the respective party basis.” As he conclude, “we’re being gamed on this issue, being given the sound and fury, to manufacture the distraction, walk pass every big issue, that counts!”
There is much more than what meets the eyes. Thankfully, the federal courts stepped in just in time, which to a degree exposed the “game.” However, it is important for our readers to know that this is not the end of it. In fact experts will tell us that the Conservatives most probably intentionally and purposefully played their cards to play a divisive politics, possibly appealing to its base vote bank, what Mr. Harper described as the “Old Stock Canadians.”
So exactly what is the issue, what the courts have ruled, what the Conservative Government did or objected, why wearing a Niqab is an issue, why the Courts have overturned the decision. Most people have absolutely no clue what is going on, and people cannot be blamed because we do not hear the details from the government or politician explaining the layperson what’s going on, each party is pandering to their base vote, each one thriving on fear.
Although, much of the blame goes to the conservatives for making this an issue in first place, than intentionally and purposefully messing it up so it remains in the news and in people’s mind, especially the “Old Stock Canadians.” It is simply a divisive politics of fear, and thriving upon it and two parties in particular, Conservatives and the Liberals are thriving upon it. The same could not be said about the NDP, and Mr. Murphy also, exclusively omitted mentioning NDP and Mr. Mulcair during his commentary is because, NDP and Mr. Mulcair are walking a very thin line – taking a position – for and against can be suicidal for them because NDP has made greatest gains in Quebec, stealing Bloc Quebecois base vote, which we have all witnessed provincially do support Niqab ban, much further than what the Tories are trying to achieve at the Citizenship Ceremony.
A columnist with the Toronto Star, Chantal Hebert, in her article, “Proposed Niqab ban could be thin edge of the wedge” quite eloquently describes how the conservatives planted the seeds of this divisive wedge politics.
We recommend our readers to look up the article, but in summary, she feels that, if the conservatives win the elections, “If a re-elected Harper passes the ban into law, he could use the notwithstanding clause to bullet-proof it against charter challenges – breaking what has become a political taboo.”
So exactly, why did they not do this from the beginning? The answer is very simple, it would make this election very dumb and boring, and people’s attention would turn to real issues of significant meaning, for which the conservatives do not have the answers for.
So what exactly the courts have overturned last week, as Chantal Hebert explains, “In his days as minister of citizenship and immigration, Jason Kenney had instructed citizenship judges to require the removal of face-covering veils for the taking of the oath.”
“As the government’s own lawyers must have pointed out, that directive conflicted with an existing regulation that gives judges latitude to accommodate religious observance in their citizenship courts.”
“To no one’s surprise, the Federal Court ruled that a regulation could not be undone at the stroke of a ministerial pen. On that basis — and not because the religious rights of the Muslim plaintiff were at stake — the court struck down the Conservative veil ban for the second time last week.”
We must say, it was a brilliant political move by Mr. Harper and his Conservatives, first boxing in NDP and Mr. Mulcair between a rock and a hard place, especially in regards to Quebecois voters. However, Mr. Mulcair has made a statement over this, as reported by the CBC, “Stephen Harper is "playing a very divisive game" with his government's effort to impose a ban on niqabs during the citizenship oath, NDP Leader Tom Mulcair said Monday, just days before a French-language debate in Quebec — a province in which identity politics continues to drive a wedge between voters. I'm not about the politics of fear and division. Mr. Harper is going to always go after that. If he senses that there's something there that can divide Canadians one against the other, he'll do it," said Mulcair during a morning campaign stop in Nova Scotia.”
It also cornered in Mr. Trudeau and his Liberals, thus creating an unnecessary diversion from speaking about real issues, and making a mountain out of a mole hill. Mr. Trudeau on the other hand has taken a position that he would not appeal the Niqab Ban.
Meanwhile, a conservative victory on October 19th, will provide the conservatives to shelf the appeal and directly go after passing a law, banning the Niqab altogether – end the controversy – appease its base voters for fulfilling the election promise. In one word it could be summed up as Deplorable! Deplorable attempt to win votes, hold on to the power. It simply demonstrates how shallow the leadership really is. That’s all – it is imperative, now more than ever that Canadian Muslims go out and vote.
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