the niqab fiasco, as it exists, is not a wedge issue. it's a tyranny of the majority.

i think i understand the issue, theoretically, a little bit better now. for the longest time, i couldn't figure out what the actual pretend substance was; why would anybody care? is it even about surveillance? but, it seems to be that there's an archaic british tradition where you have to show your face to make an oath. it might even be religious in justification.

but, it's a stretch to think that much of anybody - especially people in quebec - are interacting with the issue on the level of archaic british tradition. and, i'm not going to yell at a monk or a bishop for hiding his face while taking an oath, either. i mean, we're a little beyond fealty to the king (or queen, as it may be) here, aren't we?

it's a way to channel that longstanding francophone fear of assimilation, by channelling it towards a visible minority. the candidates should not be playing with this as a political issue. and, i actually hope that the debate gives at least one of the candidates the opportunity to make it clear that this shouldn't be treated as a wedge issue - because it isn't.

www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-election-2015-french-language-federal-leaders-debate-1.3240714