QC Jail dimisses Guard-in-training for wearing a Hijab

[Fishbone Jones]

This is not TGIF fridays where employees are supposed to add "character" to their wardrobe. When dealing with Corrections Officers, they should be seen as instruments of the government. Not as Sikhs, Hebrews, Christians or Muslims. It's called a 'UNIFORM' for a reason.

 

[Steel Badger]

I am a correctional officer.....


And I dont wear my TIE on the ranges, lest some miscreant display his displeasure with his current circumstances by choking the *&^% out of my good self, my partner or other staff.....

Wear a Burka, wear a tie, hell, even carry a gun.......it all comes down to the same issue

Don't carry anything into a dayroom that the mopes can use against you..... or shove up your gunga.



cheers



SB

 

[Gramps]

Au contraire, the Canadian Constitution states "Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law".

That's God with a capital G.  Not some Allah or Yahweh or some god with ten arms but the Christian God.

Well, since this thread will be shut down if I reply then I will do it by PM. Now as for wearing anything set out by religious or cultural customs WHO CARES!! As long as it does not endanger anybody by it simply being worn then there should be no problem, if it is a safety concern then of course it should not be worn.

 

[Blackadder1916]

After reading the scant details of this episode in the link that accompanied the opening post and the many comments in the posts that followed, a couple of questions came to mind. 

What kind of person was this?  An observent Muslim woman? An immigrant? Wanting to work in a prison? But the only information that I was able to glean from the on-line accounts was that she was a 19 year old Montrealer.  So the only supposition that I was able to make from that is it's about a Canadian teenager who like most of them is seeking an interesting, reasonably paid job with some future.  Probably the only thing not normal about her is that she is religious.

Why wasn't the woman informed that she wouldn't be permitted to wear the hajib when she was interviewed or offered the position; why did they wait until she was into the first week of the training?
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/40741.html

….. said she had included photos of herself wearing the hijab in her job application.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070315/hijab_que_070315/20070315?hub=TopStories

....says if her headscarf was a problem, officials should have notified her sooner.

Abdelatif applied to become a corrections officer in November of last year. Her application included a complete portfolio with photos of her wearing a headscarf and there were no questions asked about her hijab at the time.
"I had my veil on and you could clearly see that I had my veil on," Abdelatif told CTV Montreal on Thursday.
Abdelatif completed her initial examination and was a week into her training before officials at the Bordeaux Detention Centre confronted her with the ultimatum.

What is their official policy about head wear/coverings?  It brought back memories of some 20 years ago when one would have thought that permitting a Sikh to wear a turban in the CF or the RCMP (or the Legion) was sure to result in all sorts of mayhem.
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/montreal/story.html?id=47a2e6fe-65c6-496d-b661-3d0514e817d2

Use of a Velcro-fastened hijab might allow a 19-year-old Islamic Montrealer to resume her abruptly terminated training to become a Quebec prison guard, a senior Public Security Department official said late yesterday......

"We'd have to at least take a look at that," Lortie said after an Islamic group suggested the woman could wear a modified hijab and keep her job. "We are not people who are obtuse or incapable of discussing a situation."  .....

Abdelatif's termination was "a clear violation of the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, which prohibits religion-based discrimination in hiring," Elgazzar said, noting police departments in Vancouver and Victoria allow female officers to wear the hijab "on the front lines and in active duty." ........

There is no policy regarding hijabs for guards in the federal penitentiary system, said Jean-Yves Roy of Correctional Service Canada. .....

While some of my questions were answered, one remained.  If she follows Islamic customs, would she be able to physically handle and control male inmates?  Because, after all the external (minor) issues of dress are put aside, that is what the job will be.

 

[gaspasser]

I'm going to get back to the basics of the issue here.  It all boils down to SAFETY!
CO's do not wear anything that can be used as a weapon.  Cops (correct me if I'm wrong) wear tight fitting clothing to prevent handholds during a struggle.  Their tie, if they have one, is quick release. 
I remember back in 1985-6, there was a Sikh fellow who went thru Cornwallis and kept getting recoursed (for about a year) because he wouldn't conform, continued to would wear his ceremonial knife and refused to take off his turbin.  They finally passed him on to the next stage, which was Artillary school.  {as the story goes} He refused to replace his turbin with a helmet, BANG-SAFTEY, you're gone.  Simple.
IMHO, this teenage muslim girl has no leg to stand on if she wants to be a Corrections Officer.  Conform to the safety standard or you're gone.
My 0.02!  Hope it's worth it.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

They finally passed him on to the next stage, which was Artillary school.  {as the story goes} He refused to replace his turbin with a helmet, BANG-SAFTEY, you're gone.  Simple.

The Indian Army wears helmets and  respirators when required. No turbans or beards when operational. Why do we tolerate it?

 

[Yrys]

Why do we tolerate it?

'Cause we're CANADIANS !

 

[armyvern]

The newspaper article mentions the hair regulations. Why? Because the females guards must have their hair tied back in order not to obstruct their vision & to avoid entanglement for safety reasons. Ergo, the same principles are being applied to the hijhab in this instance as it restricts the vision and can also become entangles, and/or used as a weapon etc against this female. IE it is a safety hazard.

Hair regulations though, play no other part in this story andthe actual wording of the hair regulations is moot.

This this same woman very possibly has hair as short as mine under her hijab. It is also a matter of my experience with Muslim women as well, that most also have plenty of expertly applied make-up underneath those hijabs. To her, it is not a matter of not wanting to conform, it is a matter of her religious beliefs.

Although not all Muslim women "must" (or are obligated to) wear the hijab, it is a matter of the extent of their devotion and is a sign of their faith. Much the same way as some of the more devoted Catholics etc will attend those masses daily, rather than show up just for confession on Sunday. Comments that they shouldn't wear them "because they don't have to" are inappropriate. You would never say "Catholics can't go to daily mass because they don't have to."

In this case however, the decision has been made because it has a direct impact upon her personal safety and therefore IS the proper decision under the circumstances.

Whether she signs a waiver or not is also a relatively largely moot point. Even if a waiver was signed, you can bet your butt that should something ever happen to her after it was signed, the Provincial, Federal, Municipal employer would indeed still be on the hook for willfully & knowlingly placing this pers in a situation where her personal safety could not be ensured, probably sued, and more than likely found culpable. Waivers or not, you will find that the Canada Labour Code expressly forbids employers from putting employees into a situation which may compromise their safety, ergo the employees "right to refuse."

 

[Kat Stevens]

The difference being that, if I am a daily mass attending catholic, the employer can ask what means more to me, daily attendance or steady paycheck.  It is not a requirement of the faith, any more than a rosary is mandatory to catholics.  No accomodation required.

 

[Harris]

Immigrants, not Canadians must adapt

+1

 

[Strike]

Sorry, I find that a little rich considering the country was built by immigrants, and the population growth right now is because of them as well.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

I obviously missed this thread during my little Florida getaway but folks, please stop it with the immigrant thing, this could just as easily be a 4th or 5th generation Canadian whom decided to wear the hijab. When does 'being an immigrant' stop?

This is a no-brainer for many other reasons, it could be used as a weapon,[ and yes I would ask a Christian to remove any Cross he/she might have showing],it would restrict the ability to don an MSA/ gas mask facepiece, and/or the most important thing of all,...would restrict the senses of the wearer which, in this business, ARE THE MOST important thing you have to keep you AND YOUR FELLOW STAFF safe.

 

[Journeyman]

When does 'being an immigrant' stop?

Any group (not just immigrants) will claim a special status until they stop receiving special rights, compensations, considerations for such status.



It wasn't a test question? Damn.