Oct. 6, 2015

Re: Ten Reasons To Ban The Niqab, Barbara Kay, Sept. 30; Fight Over The Niqab Is Valueless, Andrew Coyne, Oct. 1; The better answer to the niqab issue, Karen Selick; Tory Niqab Stance Strictly Business, Michael Den Tandt, both, Oct. 5.

Of all the issues in this election, it would be fair to say that the niqab got far more attention then it deserved. “Fear mongering,” “Islamophobia” and “racist” were common terms used to label those who supported the ban. The polls, however, show that most Canadians are against the niqab, but no one bothered to wonder why.

It might well be that Canadians are experiencing their collective moment of pushback against multiculturalism. The great line in the film Network, “we’re fed up and we’re not going to take it anymore,” might describe Canadians’ reaction to just another accommodation of a minority group. The niqab issue may well be an outlier in an otherwise long history of benign multiculturalism in this country, but it could also just as easily be the silent majority’s line in the sand.

Jeff Spooner, Kinburn, Ont.