Québec seeks curb on religious symbols

Associated Press ^ | Oct 9, 2013 12:28 PM EDT | Benjamin Shingler

[Olog-hai]

There’s a heated debate in Canada over Québec’s proposal to ban symbols of religious faith such as Jewish skullcaps, Sikh turbans, Muslim head scarves and large crucifixes from public work places.

The proposed ban is part of what the Québec government calls its “charter of values.” It has divided the province of 8.1 million and mobilized the opposition. …

[Pontiac]

It seems to me that being able to tell people what they can and can not do is especially appealing to atheist.

And when they get elected to office where they get to tell people what they can and can not do they just have to tell people that they can not practice their faith in public because it might offend some ultra-sensitive person like themselves.

[Andyman]

Hey, AP, if Pierre-Andre Fournier is an archbishop, why are you giving him the title “Msgr” (Monsignor)?

[Sioux-san]

This is how far it has gone in protecting such rights in the UK:

UK: Female Muslim doctors allowed to wear disposable sleeves

For more on this story see:
* UK: Radiographer quits over bare arms
* UK: Medical students refusing to follow new hygiene rules
* Den Bosch: Muslim nurse fired for not wearing short sleeves

Female Muslim doctors and nurses are to be allowed to wear disposable sleeves in order to comply with NHS rules to prevent the spread of hospital superbugs.

All staff involved in caring for patients should be ‘bare below the elbows’ to ensure sleeves do not become contaminated and hands can be washed thoroughly to prevent infections passed around the ward.

However female Muslim staff had been concerned about the rule as exposure of their forearms is seen as immodest.

Staff in several hospitals had reportedly refused to expose their arms for hand washing and ‘scrubbing in’ procedures before surgery.

New guidance from the Department of Health said staff can wear disposable sleeves which are elasticated at the wrist and elbow when in contact with patients.

The guidance also states that using alcohol gel to cleanse hands between treating patients does not contravene strict Muslim rules on alcohol.

The guidance was drawn up following meetings between the Muslim Spiritual Care Provision in the NHS group and Islamic scholars, chaplains, multi-faith representatives and infection control experts.

It said: “Use of hand disinfection gels containing synthetic alcohol does not fall within the Muslim prohibition against natural alcohol (from fermented fruit or grain).”

The guidance added Muslim staff could wear uniforms with full length sleeves when not directly engaged in patient care and that they might not be loose or dangling. The sleeves should be able to be pulled back and secured for hand washing and direct patient care.

The Sikh bangle should also be pushed up the arm and secured for hand washing, the guidance said.

If Muslim women wish to cover their forearms during direct patient care they can wear disposable sleeves but washing of hands and wrists should still be observed.

(...)

The General Medical Council has said that female Muslim doctors must be prepared to remove their veil to treat patients effectively as religious clothing must not be a barrier to good care.

The guidelines say women can wear the hijab which covers the head and hair but not the face.