The village of Hérouxville, Quebec, caused much discussion after it issued a statement of “standards” aimed at the town’s new and prospective immigrants. The resolution (passed by municipal council) outlines what the community considers to be acceptable and unacceptable social norms of behaviour. According to council, the statement was designed to inform Hérouxville newcomers “that the lifestyle they left behind in their birth country cannot be brought here with them and they would have to adapt to their new social identity.”
Hérouxville’s resolution is an apparent reaction to recent minority accommodation measures (i.e. permitting Sikh youth to wear religious daggers in schools ). Among other things, community residents are not allowed to hide their face (except on Halloween); employers are not required to provide a place to pray or time off to pray; children may not bring weapons to school including ceremonial weapons; and a girl may choose her own spouse. The resolution also states that men and women are equal and controversially warns potential newcomers “that killing women in public beatings, or burning them alive are not part of our standards of life.”
The Canadian Islamic Congress and the Canadian Muslim Forum intend to file a complaint with the Quebec Human Rights Commission if Hérouxville does not revoke its resolution. They believe the statement is discriminatory in that it characterizes specific faith groups (particularly Muslims, Jews, and Sikhs) as oppressive towards women and prone to violence. Furthermore, they argue that Hérouxville’s town council is disrespecting both the spirit and letter of s. 27 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which specifies that the “Charter shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with the preservation and enhancement of the multicultural heritage of Canadians."
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