Four-in-ten Canadians outside of Quebec support niqab ban: Report

Oct 28 2017, 12:37 am

Four-in-ten Canadians outside of Quebec said they would support a ban on women giving or receiving government services while wearing a niqab, according to research from the Angus Reid Institute.

The Institute found that a further 31% of respondents say that the behaviour should be “discouraged but tolerated,” while only 28% say it should be “welcome.”

The findings come in response to Quebec passing Bill 62, a law that requires individuals in the province who give or receive any public service to uncover their faces.

Outside of Quebec, Alberta and Saskatchewan (46% and 52% respectively) are the provinces most likely to say that niqabs should be “prohibited,” whereas Manitoba (41%) is most likely to agree that niqabs should be welcome.

Angus Reid Institute

Angus Reid Institute

Personal political difference also impacted responses.

According to the survey, those who voted for the Liberals or the NDP are three times as likely as those who voted for the CPC to say a woman wearing a niqab should be “welcome.”

However, most Liberal and NDP voters said they would either prohibit or “discourage but tolerate” niqabs in government offices.

Angus Reid Institute

Angus Reid Institute

Overall, the survey found that the majority of Canadians (70%) said they would support similar legislation to Bill 62 if their province proposed it.

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