Orthodox Jews back right to wear niqab

As Québec considers a partial ban on the Muslim veil, Islamic groups are getting support from an unexpected source.

Appearing before a National Assembly committee yesterday, an Orthodox Jewish group said it would be a mistake to require Muslim women to uncover their faces when giving or receiving government services. The Québec government is considering instituting such a ban, but the Jewish Orthodox Council for Community says the right of individuals to practice their religion must be preserved. The council is concerned that special religious accommodations currently provided by the government, such as the right of Orthodox Jewish women to be provided with female driving instructors, could be the next target of secularist legislation. Some Québecers are calling for a much stronger law prohibiting civil servants from wearing any religious symbols.