Quebec recently passed Bill 21 which prevents anyone who works in public service (police officers, teachers, lawyers, etc.) from wearing religious symbols, and applies to even non-visible kirpans. Being born in Quebec (and still having family there) I find it disheartening and frightening that this is happening in a country where our diversity is supposed to be celebrated and protected by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. I noticed in the comments section of one of the news articles, someone commented that they didn’t understand what the problem way, that its simply a dress code. I think it is therefore key for us to understand precisely why this is NOT an issue of dress code, but of identity and why it is such a big problem.
In 1675, our 9th Sikh Guru, Tegh Bahadur was approached by the Hindu priests- Brahmin Pandits for help. Aurangzeb knew if he targeted the priestly class, the rest of the Hindus would have to follow. At the time Emperor Aurangzeb was destroying their temples, unfairly taxing Hindus and firing them from their jobs; when they refused to convert to Islam their daughters were raped and they were threatened with execution. Thus they came to ask for protection. Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji then told them to tell Aurganzeb that if he could be converted to Islam, then they all would. Guru Ji set out with three other Sikhs, who were all tortured and martyred (sawed in half, boiled in water, and burned alive). Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was then beheaded. In this act, he saved the rights of the Hindus to practice their religion. Two brave Sikhs took the body and head for cremation. He was told of how Sikhs stood by and watched as bystanders, out of their own fear. As a result,10thGuru, Gobind Singh, called the Sikhs together on Vaisakhi in 1699 and gave us our identity and 5 articles of faith. This identity was given to us specifically so we are easily identified and must be responsible for actions. Also, other people know to look to us for help. All About Sikhs write “The Khalsa cannot be anonymous. His religion is known to all. He stands out among people, and any unseemly behaviour or action on his part would be noted as unbecoming of a follower of the Gurus.” Despite being tortured and killed, the Sikhs did not give up their identity. This includes Bhai Taru Singh who refused to give up his hair and had his whole scalp removed for refusing to give up his religion. Even after the increase in hate crimes after 9/11 like Oak Creek, problems we face at airports and schools, we have stuck by the symbols of our faith. Eleanor Nesbitt writes, “For male Sikhs their turban is the crown which – together with their kesh – symbolises their faith, inseparable from their identity.” So it isn’t about a dress code, it is about an identity.
Before we move forward let me describe these Sikh articles of faith. These are called the 5 K’s (kakaars), and here is a description of them and their meaning.
KARA
A kara is a bracelet made of sarab loh (iron). The circular nature reminds us that God has no beginning or end. The kara reminds us that we are a servant of God, and should always perform good actions (therefore when we go to do something with our hand we remember this) because this body was given to us by God. We are reminded to use the arms for sewa (service to the community). Karas used to be traditionally very large and protected the individual if hit by a sword. The iron from a Sarab loh kara has been shown to actually absorb into the body.
KANGA
This is a small wooden comb. It reminds us to take care of our body, by keeping our hair tidy. It is worn at the very top of the head (under a turban for men). It is said that it also functions to massage the scalp to reduce stress, and stimulate blood flow which helps the hair grow, and helps to counter krodh (anger).
KACCHERA
These are undershorts, similar to boxers that represent chastity, and remind Sikhs to be faithful. They were also practically useful to soldiers in the battlefield, allowing free movement.
KIRPAN
Kirpan (sword), from kirpa (kindness) and aan (dignity). It reminds us to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves (protecting the weak/oppressed against injustice or self-defense). It is to be used only if all other means have failed. The kirpan also represents the “power of truth to cut through untruth.” Sikhs are saint-soldiers- firstly a saint that has control over lust, anger, greed, pride, attachment, anger, and ego, and only then can they become a soldier. In 2006, the Supreme Court ruled that banning of the kirpan in a school environment is against the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which further means that this law in Quebec makes no sense. RCMP officers in Canada are also allowed to wear their 5 K’s. In the states, there was a case in Ohio where the Judge ruled “To be a Sikh is to wear a Kirpan - it is that simple. It is a religious symbol, and in no way a weapon.”
KESH
This means uncut hair. Keeping our hair on our whole body in its original condition reminds us to accept ourselves as God has created us. Hair also is important to regulate body temperature, protect us from sun’s rays, reduces heat loss by radiation in the winter, absorbs vitamin D, helps evaporate sweat, keeps dust and bacteria out of our eyes and nose, prevents water from going into eyes, and prevents friction. Not to mention that long hair is beautiful! Sikhs cover their head with a turban (worn by men or women) or a chunni/ramal (worn by women). This tradition has been ongoing since the times of Guru Nanak (our first Guru). During that time, the turban had only been worn by those who were higher class, but to remind us of our equality we were all told to cover our heads. Covering the head is also considered a sign of respect and keeps the hair clean.
A baptized Sikh is required by our faith to wear these symbols of faith. Sikhiwiki states “Sikhism stands out as a unique and probably the only faith in the world where in there is no place what so ever for clergy or priestly class…Unlike most other faiths where only the clergy are in uniform, all Sikhs are enjoined to always wear their uniform of faith at all times and to adhere to the ideals of the ‘Sant-Sapai’ Saint-Soldier.” Thus as you can tell, this creates an issue where people of other faiths might not be of a clergy class and working a government job, but we live a householder’s life in our religion which means that we have no priestly class. We live in pursuit of our spiritual life while we do our jobs. So essentially bill 21 is telling us we cannot do these jobs and for those who have spent years training to do their jobs, and love to serve the community, it means that they aren’t welcome in Quebec. I am very surprised I’ve heard nothing about this from my friend group, or on facebook. No one seems to want to talk about it. We need to speak out. I was proud of Amrit Kaur for speaking out on the news. We need to educate people about why this is such an important issue.
The even more worrisome part of this Bill is that there will be inspectors to make sure the law is followed. Balpreet Singh of the World Sikh Organization commented that he worried that normal citizens might start monitoring others, and this already started on facebook after the bill was passed (facebook took it down). There are already reports of increasing hate crimes. Dr. Zaidi, who is a secretary for “Calgarians against Racism, Violence and Hate” speaks to this: “’Zaidi says the bill could be seen as a wink to neo-Nazis and white supremacists in Quebec and across the country, creating a dangerous climate…‘This sends a message across Canada that if this can happen in one province it can happen anywhere else,’ he said. ‘It gives them one win in one of the provinces and sends a message that minorities are not welcome.’” This further creates safety issues for all of us. Unfortunately the law cannot be challenged based on the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but there Canadian Civil Liberties Association and National Council of Canadian Muslims are going to be challenging it on other grounds. Those who are against this Bill include Prime Minister Trudeau, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, the UN, some school boards, municipal leaders, and McGill University.
I am worried about what this Bill means for Canada as a whole. It shocks me that we need to explain why we shouldn’t be discriminating against others. The very roots of Sikhi teach us we are all one. This is also affecting other communities like the Jewish and Muslim communities.I would encourage those who live in Quebec not to simply move away but to continue to stand up for your rights. I will be keeping an eye out in the news and I hope the legal action against this bill is successful in shutting it down.
References
Quebec is unique and the Premier thinks he can get away with it BECAUSE Quebec never Signed the Canadian Constitution. So he's using Not Withstanding Clause. The other thing is He never talked about it before the elections - only sneaked it AFTER he won the majority - So the Left was not prepared for it. Last time the Parti Quebecoise - the separatists racists talked before the election - they got wiped out - this guy use to be one of them - so came back with a different party name - sneaky thing to do. Lot of minorities were not united. Yes he talked about limiting immigrants - but not this issue. The rest of Canada is protected by the Constitution and the Vigilent people - it's always the people who care - God
ReplyDeleteQuebec religious symbols law 'dangerous and un-Canadian,' says Manitoba premier
ReplyDeleteBrian Pallister intends to raise the issue at western and northern premiers' meeting Thursday
That is, certainly to my mind, dangerous and un-Canadian and deserves to be opposed," Pallister said in an interview with The Canadian Press.
"We are not a two-tier-rights country.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-premier-quebec-religious-symbol-law-1.5190866
Nice story to share on Canada Day -
ReplyDeleteSikh temple celebrates 100 years of acceptance in Vancouver Island ghost town
Lumber brought workers to Paldi, B.C.; goodwill kept them together
A school photo from 1938 shows a mixed class of Japanese, Chinese, Indian and Caucasian children.
Named after a village in India
Paldi is named after a village in India of the same name and was founded after Mayo Singh began searching for timber on Vancouver Island.
In Paldi Remembered, Joan Mayo writes, her father-in-law ultimately chose the location for the new sawmill because of its proximity to the Canadian Pacific Railway line and Sahtlam Creek.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/sikh-temple-celebrates-100-years-of-tolerance-1.5194810
Minority Rights are Protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Constitution and the U.N. I am Surprised that the Current Quebec Premier doesn't know this as he keeps on harping the Majority wants this ban in place - LOL. This case was heard yesterday in a court. The reaction from the Premier was - the the majority wants this. Even if the majority wanted - it could NOT trample on the MINORITY rights -. Besides the Quebec govt got this majority - by 33% people voted it in. The rest didn't vote or they voted the Liberals. The Fathers of the U.S Constitution and the man who came up with the idea of a Democracy - thought about the Tyranny of majority.
ReplyDeleteThe tyranny of the majority (or tyranny of the masses) is an inherent weakness of majority rule in which the majority of an electorate can place its own interests above, and at the expense of those in the minority. This results in oppression of minority groups comparable to that of a tyrant or despot, argued John Stuart Mill in his 1859 book On Liberty.[1]
American founding father Alexander Hamilton, writing to Thomas Jefferson from the Constitutional Convention, argued the same fears regarding the use of pure direct democracy by the majority to elect a demagogue who, rather than work for the benefit of all citizens, set out to either harm those in the minority or work only for those of the upper echelon or population centers. As articulated by Hamilton, one reason the Electoral College was created was so "that the office of President will never fall to the lot of any man who is not in an eminent degree endowed with the requisite qualifications".[2]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyranny_of_the_majority
Update on this case incase someone missed it
ReplyDeleteThe judges rejected to give STAY on this law(as the students said it affected them). It will be challenged in the High Court I believe. It may take months/years. Mean while one of the graduates, Amrit Kaur is going to BC to find a job
Bill 21: Judge rejects groups' attempt to have Quebec secularism law suspended
“That some in society feel liberated today to claim their prejudices instead of stemming them does not originate from the secularism law,” ruled Quebec Superior Court Judge Michel Yergeau.
https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/bill-21-judge-rejects-groups-attempt-to-have-quebec-secularism-law-suspended