Veiled Muslim Women And Voting In Canada

All four Canadian political parties are making a fuss about veiled Muslim women not having to lift their veils for positive identification when they vote. While I have some sympathy for that viewpoint—after all, voting is solemn act that decides the very leadership that governs our country. That said, I think all four political leaders are misguided.

According to Elections Canada, citizens can vote by mail. More specifically:

Special Voting Rules

Any elector who cannot or does not wish to vote at a polling station during an election or referendum may vote using a special ballot. With a special ballot, an elector can vote by mail or in person at the office of any returning officer. If the elector is away from his or her electoral district, inside or outside Canada, he or she can also register to vote with Elections Canada in Ottawa. Voting by special ballot is governed by the Special Voting Rules, set out at Part 11 of the Canada Elections Act. The Special Voting Rules apply to the following categories of electors:

1. Canadian electors temporarily away from their electoral districts during the election or referendum, whether in Canada or abroad
2. Canadian electors in their electoral districts who cannot or do not wish to go to an ordinary or advance poll to vote
3. ...

Note point two: Canadian electors...who...do not wish to go to an ordinary or advance poll to vote. So if you—can by anyone, not just a veiled Muslim woman—do not wish to show your face, simply vote by mail. Elections Canada and the rest of us will not know if you showed your face when you voted or not. In fact, we will not even know if it was truly you who voted.

Rather than singling out a specific group of people and making a large public display of it, our political leaders should simply change the rules for everyone. Then no group is singled out.

The concern I have with the current political discourse is that the political leaders have singled out a specific minority group. Instead of putting a negative spotlight on veiled Muslim women, I would much prefer to create a climate where we welcome all minority groups to participate in the political process.