Reasonable accommodation
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Reasonable accommodation is a political term used in Quebec in reference to the status of multiculturalism in a predominately Western-oriented, French-speaking society. The term is meant to determine to what extent a society should reasonably shape its rules and values to "accommodate" religious or cultural considerations.
In Quebec, under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, this question on what was and will be the national identity is taking front page, such as the court decision in Multani v. Commission scolaire Marguerite‑Bourgeoys.
Also controversial was the initial "code of conduct" passed by the municipal council in the Quebec town of Herouxville. The document states that stoning women or burning them alive is prohibited, as is excision (female genital cutting). The motion explains many practices considered normal in western culture. These standards also state that carrying a weapon to school [a reference to the Sikh ceremonial kirpan], covering one's face (the Muslim veil), and the accommodation for prayer in school will not be permitted. It attests that "Our people eat to nourish the body, not the soul," in reference to Jewish and Muslim dietary laws, and that health-care professionals "do not have to ask permission to perform blood transfusions."
There was extensive coverage of related issues in Quebec's highly-concentrated news media, which some analysts attributed more to competitive drive than citizen concern. The media play reached such an extent that the premier of the province stated several non-negotiable values, such as "the equality of women and men; the primacy of French; the separation between the state and religion". Premier Jean Charest, citing several instances of "unreasonable" accommodation, appointed a two-man commission in February 2007 to investigate the issue and report back after one year.
In the interim, an "accommodation" was reached between the provincial government and the Roman Catholic church on the disposal of underused churches in an overwhelmingly secular province. Local parishes were given the opportunity to develop the buildings as community centres, for example, rather than give way to condominium construction.
Provincial opposition leader Andre Boisclair noted, however, "We're not talking about reasonable accommodation [if] it has nothing to do with public services," Boisclair said. At the same time, Boisclair blamed Charest for pandering to Quebecers who balk at adjustmnents made for immigrants in civil society.
The origin of the term "reasonable accommodation" is found in labour-market jurisprudence, and refers to efforts of employers towards employees.
[edit] External links
- A one-year chronology of the province's 'reasonable accommodation' controversy http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/montreal/story.html?id=9abb439c-b103-4ee5-816b-a35c61ad4bfd&k=71765
- 'Accommodate Each Other' http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=29ba3c26-5062-496a-919d-f1b0008e64b7&k=23939
- Charest enters the fray http://www.canada.com/globaltv/quebec/story.html?id=6633c74c-aa84-42d8-ac59-bdfce680625e&k=94599
- Church and state find accommodation
- Dumont criticizes PQ, Liberals over referendum hang-ups in election campaign http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=e62daa9a-96c0-47e0-982b-ccb492674515&k=55035
- Immigration hearings aim to sort fact from fiction http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=c2cb4492-0254-4740-8cd0-53aa84a20910&k=28387
- L'affaire Herouxville born out of fear: experts http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/story.html?id=5f214257-aa7b-4206-9903-04d0ea068c7b
- Media stir up storm over 'accommodation' http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=42098436-d762-4a57-a87e-3d72b966ab6b&k=51437
- Minorities excluded from public institution jobs http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=7d65847b-dba8-49b9-ae5b-e0385a2a13ca&k=27637
- Racism vs. reasonable accommodation of minorities sparks debate in Quebec http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=a8b18f7c-9887-4159-89cb-f35960c3433b&k=9689
- Rural Quebec town bans stoning women http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070129.wquebston0129/BNStory/National/home
- Quebec town spawns uneasy debate http://www.thestar.com/News/article/178262
- Quebec towns reject Hérouxville immigrant code http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2007/02/07/qc-herouxville20070207.html#skip300x250
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