Immigration Minister Supports Ban on Veils While Voting

A bill tabled by Conservative MP Steven Blaney Friday would make it illegal for Muslim women to vote while wearing a face covering.

The bill has reignited the debate over what constitutes reasonable accommodation, with critics saying it’s an unnecessary and deliberately divisive piece of legislation. Elections Canada reported that no one failed to comply with requests to uncover their faces during the 2008 election, so it’s unclear what problem Blaney is attempting to address with the bill. Nevertheless, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said Sunday that he supports the bill, arguing it’s reasonable to ask voters to uncover their faces in order to confirm their identities. Currently, Elections Canada retains the right to ask voters who don’t uncover their faces to sign an oath confirming their eligibility to vote.