Mr. Speaker, I listened carefully to my Bloc Québécois colleague and I heard the term “secularism”.
One of the things that really motivated me to settle in Canada and choose to live in the province of Quebec as a Quebecker was its secular nature. Here, however, we have to be tread very carefully. There is a big difference between secularism and secularization. Secularization is really about imposing a certain culture on a newcomer, and that is very important.
My question is this: What harm does it cause to the service you receive if someone wearing a kippah or a veil shows up when you come to see a nurse or an educator? Why would it bother you if someone wears a conspicuous religious symbol? Other people who hold religious beliefs may be wearing a cross but keep it out of sight.
What is the difference, then? I ask because, in both cases, the people are genuine believers.