Following confirmation by authorities in Canada that women who show up to vote wearing a niqab won't be forced to remove it to reveal their identity, there have been protests on the first day of advance polling.
People wearing a face covering will be asked to sign an oath attesting to their eligibility and to present two pieces of identification, at least one having a current address.
One man from Dorval went to vote in a clown costume and claimed he was able to vote without removing his mask. He said an officer asked him to take an oath to confirm his identity.
"Truly sad that I can vote to elect a Canadian prime minister without having to show my face and prove my identity," said Rafik Hanna.
A woman arrived a polling station in Cap-Rouge, near Quebec City, wearing a potato sack on her head. It was later confirmed that she was able to cast her ballot after swearing an oath.
And in Gatineau, a man showed up to vote at the Centre Communautaire Le Baron dressed as a ghost. But rather than take an oath, he said he showed his face to confirm his identity.
1 comment:
I'll go with the rationals on this. Adults, unless on their way to a fancy-dress ball (or the like), should show face in public.
I will make some very rare exceptions for unfortunates afflicted with facial deformities. (There's some interesting info on-line about soldiers returning from WWI who wore masks in public to hide facial injuries, BTW, in case you care to look.)
Lurker111
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