If you ask me, too many people wake up in the morning with the following first thought: Let’s ban something. Jean Charest, the premier of Quebec, woke up recently and decided to ban the niqab and the burqa, the veils favoured by a few ultra-orthodox Muslim women that cover everything but their eyes. I’m not going to waste your time arguing about pros and cons of the burqa and the niqab. But I do not want to live in a country that allows one of its provinces to ban religious or secular adornments. If Charest can ban the burqa, he can also ban, in no particular order: Honking big crucifixes; Mohawk haircuts; turbans; phylacteries; plaid golf pants; and Speedos for all men more than 150 pounds. Have you ever come across a squadron of middle- aged weekend bicycle warriors decked out in lemon-lime lycra? Shouldn’t they be banned, too? How about really bad toupees? Take them down! We’re not talking about an epidemic here. According to one estimate, there are about 25 offenders altogether in Quebec. There are probably more people wearing leashes and dog collars who like to be escorted around town on all fours by their favourite dominatrix. It looks as if I’m in the minority here. According to Angus Reid, 95 per cent of the Blocheads Québécois are in favour of the ban, naturally, although it’s OK for them to smoke Gauloises and end up with COPD and become wards of the medical system. Perhaps more surprising, 80 per cent of the Rest of Canada also supports the ban, so by picking on a few Muslim  women, Charest has unified the nation. Way to go, Jean. It’s time to give our heads a shake. This is the land of freedom. Thousands have fought and died for our right to remain free. It’s the basis of our democracy. If some people are a little different, we can tolerate that. It’s called diversity, and in this nasty, censorious world it’s the hope of the future. Even in what seem to be inappropriate expressions of the past.

*The above article originally appeared in MetroNews on March 31, 2010 and has been reprinted here with permission.