Charter of rights, who's rights?

The charter of rights, which wants no large visible symbols of religion in government employees is just falling short of imposing a dress code on all it's employees. I mean why not. In the past many more jobs had dress codes, then they do now. Let's all force everyone to wear the same thing all the time and make everyone clones!!!

Freedom of choice should be exactly that. Everyone should be free to chose what they can wear. I ran into a veiled women during one of my interviews.  The fact she was veiled did not take away from the fact she's a dynamic, intelligent and well informed woman.  She has been in Quebec for 2 years and she is visibly disappointed with the proposed charter, but quipped that all the Quebecois she met had no issues with her hijab, that it seems some political agenda!

I asked her a few questions about how things were in her country work wise. She said she was one of very few women who worked in non-traditional field and she was surprised to see that there were not more women here in Quebec working in this field or even studying in the field since it is accessible to women here.  She also admitted to me that she far prefers working in a predominantly male environment and in the past had become close friends with a male colleague. I asked the questions more to see how she would fit in my department, but I know that all women who apply for the internship have be learn to be comfortable in a predominantly male environment if they want to succeed in engineering.

Here's the fascinating thing. Before coming to Quebec she did not veil herself.  My understanding is that in some more progressive Muslim countries, especially the ones highly influenced by France, being veiled is seen in a negative way and can prevent access to certain jobs. So modern women in some Muslim countries end up choosing their profession over a veil. They come here thinking this is a country with more freedoms so they can be free to both have a career and wear a veil.

How disappointing this proposed Charter must seem for them.    This young woman was rather wise, she said, she realizes that the women of Quebec fought hard to acquire their freedom so can can understand some of their fears.  Personally, so long as it's a scarf on their head, I have no objection.  I see it as a style of dress. Some young women manage to find beautiful ways to wear scarfs and dress modestly and at the same time be quite fashionable.

I mean who are we to tell them not to wear scarves, anymore then telling hassidim women not to cover their heads? Are the charter police going to check for whether a woman is wearing a wig and has a shaved head underneath?

One of the things I love the most about Montreal is the fact it's multicultural. You can meet someone from anywhere in the world, and be enriched by their culture. This is also Canada, where we are a mosaic!  Why are we trying to be a melting pot like the US with this charter?