Less than a day after a Federal Court of Appeal decision to quash Ottawa’s attempts to ban face coverings at citizenship ceremonies, the government says it plans to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada.
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau called on the Conservatives to explain why they want to restrict minority rights.
Minister of Defence and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney says it’s reasonable that someone wanting to be a citizen show their face, even if only briefly, when taking the oath.
29-year old Zunera Ishaq, a devout Muslim who came to Ontario from Pakistan in 2008, refused to take part in a citizenship ceremony because she’d have to show her face.
On Tuesday, a three-judge panel dismissed the government’s appeal of an earlier Federal Court ruling on her case that declared the ban on face coverings at such ceremonies unlawful.
The judge said they wanted to proceed quickly so Ishaq could get her citizenship in time to vote in the October 19 federal election.