Contacts & Talking Points

Talking Points:

• A truly democratic society is one in which all individuals have the freedom of expression and a right to access public services.

• Bill 94 should be withdrawn immediately as it has no place in a democratic society that claims to value women’s individual autonomy, liberty and justice.

• Forcing a woman to reveal part of her body is no different from forcing her to be covered. No one has the right to control a woman’s body.

• Premier Charest’s government should focus on implementing programs to address real gender inequality such as poverty reduction programs and education initiatives. Barring a woman from social services, employment, health and education, as well as creating a climate of shame and fear around her is not an effective way to help her empower herself. It will not end gender inequality.

• A secular society does not preclude the right to the freedom of religious expression, a right enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

• This is a clearly discriminatory measure aimed at targeting Muslim women who wear the niqab, already marginalized in the context of heightened racism and misunderstanding in a post 9-11 world. Now more than ever it is essential that Canada hold true to its claims of multiculturalism and equality, and find ways to embrace difference rather than to exclude it.

• Bill 94 is a clearly discriminatory measure aimed at targeting Muslim women who wear the niqab, many of whom are already under the pressure of intersecting oppressions. This will serve to discriminate against an already marginalized group of women in the context of heightened racism and misunderstanding in a post 9-11 world.

Contact Information:

Premier Jean Charest Ministère du Conseil exécutif Édifice Honoré-Mercier, 3e étage 835, boulevard René-Lévesque Est Québec (Québec) G1A 1B4 By Telephone: +1-418-643-5321 +1-514-873-341 Fax: +1-418-643-3924 +1-514-873-6769 By Email: Copy and paste your email into this form and select ‘Women’ ‘Other’ as the issue you wish to address.

Yolande James Minister of Immigration and Cultural Communities Ministère de l’Immigration et des Communautés culturelles Édifice Marie-Guyart 1050, rue L.-A.-TaschereauAile René-Lévesquee étage Québec (Quebec) G1R 5E6 Telephone: +1-418-644-2128
Fax: +1-418-528-0829
Email: yolande.james@micc.gouv.qc.ca

Kathleen Weil Minister of Justice/Ministère de la Justice Édifice Louis-Philippe-Pigeon 1200, route de l’Église étage Québec (Quebec) G1V 4M1 Telephone: +1-418-643-4210 Fax: +1-418-646-0027
Email: ministre@justice.gouv.qc.ca

Christine St-Pierre Minister of Culture, Communications and the Status of Women
Ministère de la Culture, des Communications et de la Condition feminine Édifice Guy-Frégault 225, Grande Allée Est Bloc A1er étage Québec (Quebec) G1R 5G5 Telephone: +1-418-380-2310 Fax: +1-418-380-2311
Email: ministre@mcccf.gouv.qc.ca

Include your Minister of Parliament in any correspondence. You can find their coordinates here.

As well copy your comments to:

Prime Minister Stephen Haper
pm@pm.gc.ca Office of the Prime Minister 80 Wellington Street Ottawa K1A 0A2 Fax: 613-941-6900

Michael Ignatieff, M.P., Liberal Leader
IgnatM@parl.gc.ca
Leader of the Opposition, House of Commons, Ottawa, ON, Canada
K1A 0A6 Fax : 613- 992-5880