Mark Slapinski

00:00:00.000 The French-speaking province of Quebec in eastern Canada has finally cracked down on radical Islam. 0.61

00:00:05.720 Let's take a look at that. The Quebec government has passed a law extending the province's ban on

00:00:10.400 religious symbols to everyone who interacts with students in schools. The law also prohibits

00:00:15.740 students from wearing face coverings in a bid to strengthen secularism. The new legislation expands

00:00:20.920 on a secularism law from 2019 that banned religious symbols for public employees deemed

00:00:25.980 to be in positions of authority, including teachers, judges, and police officers. The new

00:00:31.280 legislation extends that ban to all school staff, including psychologists, janitors, and cafeteria

00:00:36.440 workers, as well as to people who offer services to students but are not employees, such as library

00:00:42.540 volunteers. The bill was tabled through a government investigation of a Montreal elementary school last

00:00:47.580 year, which found that a group of teachers, many of them from North Africa, had imposed autocratic

00:00:53.680 rule at the school. And that's unacceptable. The government has also promised to extend the

00:00:58.440 religious symbols ban to daycare workers. And I, for one, I'm proud of Quebec for doing this. 1.00

00:01:04.120 Radical Islam has been the elephant in the room in Canada for many years, so I'm glad that Quebec 1.00

00:01:08.500 took some initiative and decided to push back against this evil, destructive force. And Quebec was 0.53

00:01:14.520 not the first place in the Western world to try something like this. Not at all. France actually

00:01:19.320 banned face coverings over 10 years ago, as did many other European nations. Let's take a look at

00:01:24.600 that. Before we get into this, I want to say I'm being censored. So if you see this video, let me

00:01:29.060 know in the comment section. Like and make sure you're still subscribed. Thank you. First, two and a

00:01:34.480 half years ago, the French government introduced a law imposing a ban on face coverings in public

00:01:39.320 places. The ban included masks, helmets, and balaclavas. But by far the most controversial element

00:01:45.520 was its effect in outlawing the niqab. It's been a source of contention ever since, with many

00:01:50.960 Muslim women now openly flaunting the ban. Parika Ryan reports from Paris.

00:01:57.840 This is Manu. This is her committing an offence. On camera, in public. She could be fined for this.

00:02:06.800 Two months ago, she was. And we're going with her as she pays that fine. Here is the offence. Two years ago,

00:02:17.680 the French introduced a ban on face coverings in public. Two months ago, Manu was fined for the

00:02:24.320 first time. With the ban, how did it change how people reacted to you?

00:02:49.040 Soon, we'll leave to pay the fine. Manu, though, can't afford it. Cue the man the French press have

00:03:13.520 dubbed the niqab Zorro. How many fines have you paid for now? I have paid 699 fines for two years. 0.96

00:03:25.360 Property tycoon, Algerian, a libertarian. For him, the niqab ban is as bad as women being forced to wear 0.97

00:03:32.640 it. He's now paid for the majority of niqab fines in France. And how much does that all cost you?

00:03:39.360 It's 127,000 euros. Really? Yes, really. We're outside the Elysée Palace because he has an

00:03:48.880 appointment to hand back his French passport in protest. But the police put paid to publicity stunt.

00:03:56.560 Can we walk down the road? No. What? Why not? About 2,000 women wear the niqab in France. Over 700 fines 0.95

00:04:06.960 have been issued. Polls show the vast majority of French people in favour of the ban. Back at the cafe,

00:04:14.640 Manu explains that since the ban, she stopped going out in public and stopped going to college.

00:04:21.200 You sacrificed your future and a career because of this?

00:04:25.920 That seems like a huge choice, doesn't it? And almost a sad choice that you decided to do that.

00:04:39.440 But it was a choice. So to what extent was it some sort of statement on your behalf?

00:05:02.880 Yes. So that's a yes. It was a statement.

00:05:11.120 This 20-year-old statement is part political, part religious, lacks clarity.

00:05:17.600 The man who proposed the ban in the first place says the niqab is an assault on equality. 0.99

00:05:22.560 His message to her, crystal clear.

00:05:25.040 If she wants to wear a veil, she can go to any Islamic countries in which many ban the veil.

00:05:34.080 So your message to her is leave France and go back?

00:05:36.080 Yes, of course. Leave it. Because if you don't like the rules and the habits of this country,

00:05:42.800 I'm sorry, this is a social convention. This is a social pact. If you bridge this social pact,

00:05:48.560 go somewhere and leave how you want to live.

00:05:51.280 For the time being, though, she's just going to the tax office to pay her fine with the niqab Zorro. 1.00

00:05:58.640 En route, we walked past about 20 police.

00:06:02.880 So that little road test of the niqab ban in France was an eye-opener. 1.00

00:06:07.360 Manu almost walked into those four officers on the street and all she got was a prolonged stare.

00:06:15.360 At the office, the fine is paid mainly in 50s.

00:06:19.200 The red-hot niqab controversy has to take a ticket and wait its turn. 1.00

00:06:26.640 Manu showed her ID and her face to the teller.

00:06:30.240 Paid up, covered up and left.

00:06:33.440 So, did you get a receipt?

00:06:36.640 There were only a handful of people who actually wear the niqab in France.

00:06:40.480 The point is that the issue runs along false lines. False lines between liberty, equality,

00:06:49.920 fraternity.

00:06:51.360 Now, of course, that was an older clip. However, it does show that there is a precedent

00:06:55.360 to ban face coverings in public in Western countries. You can wear your niqab or burka at home, 0.99

00:07:01.440 you can wear it at the mosque, but you can't wear it in public and you definitely cannot wear it at school.

00:07:06.400 I think that's a sound policy.

00:07:07.920 I also want to clarify, partially because I want to make it clear where I stand but also

00:07:12.000 because I want to follow YouTube's rules. I don't hate Muslims and I don't want you 1.00

00:07:16.880 or anyone else to hate Muslims. However, I want to clarify that newcomers to any country,

00:07:21.360 whether it be France or Canada, shouldn't force the religion down people's throats.

00:07:26.160 That's not acceptable and that should not be tolerated and that's why I'm glad Quebec is doing this.

00:07:30.960 Schools are for learning, not for religious indoctrination. Kids go to school to learn

00:07:36.320 about fractions, reading, writing, physical education, all of that stuff that's going to

00:07:42.080 make them better people and tomorrow's leaders. They're not there to be radicalized. They're not

00:07:47.680 there to be told that women are not real people. They're not there for that and that's why I'm

00:07:52.000 really glad Quebec is doing this. And one thing I really like Pauliev to do once he gets into office,

00:07:56.960 which might be soon, is have a nationwide ban on face coverings and praying in public. 0.72

00:08:03.040 I think that's great and a lot of people would really like that.

00:08:06.080 Like I've said a million times, I have faith that Pauliev will be in office soon

00:08:10.240 and our country will start to heal from this woke madness.

00:08:13.360 Have a bit of patience. Have a little bit of faith. Talk to you next time. Happy Halloween.

Quebec Has Banned Face Coverings In Schools

Episode Stats

Summary

Transcript