Can Muslim Women Who Cover Their Face With A Veil Vote In Canadian Elections?
Muslim women who cover their head with a hijab and their face with a niqab may vote in both Canadian federal elections, as well as provincial elections in Quebec, and they are not normally required to remove either covering. This issue resurfaced in the Province of Québec when the director general of elections observed that Muslim women will not be required to remove their niqab, when they present themselves for identification at the polls. This announcement resulted in some backlash from major political parties, including from André Boisclair, leader of the leftist Parti Québécois, who said that this was “going to far” and that everyone had to properly identify themselves at the polls in order to ensure the validity of the election. The “Federation des femmes du Quebec,” a provincial women’s group, also protested the ruling. Muslim women who choose to wear a veil will be required to produce photo ID at the polling station and must also sign a sworn statement. Québecers will head to th
