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Thursday, November 19, 2015

Taking back the justice system

Trudeau begins to reverse Harper’s ugly legacy of over-reaching legislation: Editorial

Canadian law on Stephen Harper’s watch became heedless of civil rights, contemptuous of the judiciary, unreasonably punitive, and unfriendly to minorities and refugees.


Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals are moving with commendable speed to reverse some of Stephen Harper’s meaner legal legacies, including the Conservative government’s wars on the niqab and citizenship rights. These issues reeked of injustice and fairly polluted the recent federal election campaign.
Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould rang down the curtain Monday on the Harper government’s unwarranted and unlawful attempt to prevent devout Muslim women from wearing face-coverings such as the niqab at citizenship ceremonies.
The Federal Court of Appeal rightly found the Muslim-phobic ban to be illegal, a violation of the Citizenship Act, which allows for the greatest possible religious freedom in administering the oath of citizenship. But the Tories, undeterred, decided to ask the Supreme Court to hear an appeal on the case. Wisely, Wilson-Raybould has now withdrawn that request.
The Liberal government has also asked the Federal Court to suspend proceedings in cases involving stripping people of citizenship, as Ottawa consults on a new policy. That, too, is a welcome development.

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2015/11/17/trudeau-begins-to-reverse-harpers-ugly-legacy-of-over-reaching-legislation-editorial.html


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