Canadian Bill Would Require Muslim Women To Uncover Face Before Voting

In the Canadian Parliament on Friday, the government introduced a bill that would require all voters, including veiled Muslim women, to identify themselves with their faces uncovered in order to vote. Bill C-6 provides an exemption only when uncovering one's face would be harmful to the prospective voter's health. Reporting on the bill, Friday's Toronto Globe & Mail indicated that election officials would have flexibility in administering the law in order to respect religious beliefs. For example, Elections Canada could allow Muslim women to uncover their faces behind a screen with only a female elections official present. The introduction of the bill follows political criticism of Quebec's election officials who said they would permit women wearing a niqab to identify themselves with their faces covered. (See prior related posting.)