QUEBEC – In a political boost to Quebec’s controversial values charter, the only Muslim woman in the provincial legislature has broken ranks with her Liberal party to support the plan.
Fatima Houda-Pepin wrote in a letter to The Canadian Press that she is “flabbergasted,” “hurt” and “shocked” by one of her colleague’s comments on the chador, wondering if her party’s views on equality between men and women was modeled on those of countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iran.
She was reacting to comments by Marc Tanguay, the Liberal secularism critic, who said he would welcome Liberal candidates wearing the chador and would be happy to sit with them in the legislature.
The chador is an open cloak which extends over the head but does not cover the face. It is worn by many Iranian women.
The Moroccan-born MNA said she has long been concerned about the rise of fundamentalism but has stayed silent on the Liberals’ position, which opposes any ban on religious symbols as long as the face is uncovered.
Her public statement might not sway any actual votes in the legislature, where the Parti Quebecois plan does not have enough support to pass.
But the government has threatened to make it a confidence issue and take the plan out onto the campaign trail, where Houda-Pepin’s words would inveitably be used against her party.
Her Liberals had publicly maintained a united front against the PQ plan – now Houda-Pepin’s coming-out on the issue has blown a hole in that unanimity.
In her letter, Houda-Pepin denounced what she described as “cultural relativism” that legitimizes symbols of oppression and radicalism.
The secularlism charter proposed by the Parti Quebecois government would ban anyone working in the public service from wearing overt religious symbols such as the hijab while on the job.
Houda-Pepin, who has sat in the legislature since 1994, says her party should agree to limit individual rights “when the public interest so requires,” as in the case of equality between men and women.
She said there is already a precedent because Robert Bourassa, when he was premier, did not hesitate to invoke the notwithstanding clause of the Constitution to protect collective French-language rights.
“The Quebec Liberal party has already limited freedom of expression in commercial signs,” she said.
“In a democracy, it is permissible to prohibit when the public interest so requires. Gender equality is a fundamental right which remains fragile in an era of fundamentalism.
“We must protect and defend it, not jeopardize it.”
Houda-Pepin did not make any recommendations to Liberal Leader Philippe Couillard in her letter.
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