I found Jen Paxton’s blog extremely interesting as it made me think about Canadian politics. Jen discusses the conservative’s desire to forbid woman from wearing their hija at that citizen’s oath ceremony. I believe that forcing a woman to take of her vail can be as problematic as forcing her to wear one because either way, it is one group of people, in the case of Canada it would be Steven Harper and the conservatives, imposing their values and preferences unto another group of people. Jen points to the the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and how it allows religious freedom, something I find key in a country as inclusive as Canada. If the conservatives had won the battle against the woman’s freedom to wear something they wear due to religion, then Canada would be taking a step back in its progressive and liberal path, one that hold it very highly in the eyes of people all around the world. I found it very effective for Jen to quote actual muslim women who willingly wear the hijab as this is one perspective that is, not only from the first person, but also new to me. I agree with Jen’s quote from Satrapi where she states that forcing women to not wear a vail they want to wear, as is the case in France can be as bad. In France women who wish to wear their vail are not allowed to do so because the government argues that this demonstrated oppression against women. I ask myself, is this an act of feminism or is it simply an act of religious intolerance. Would the French government, or the Canadian conservatives for that matter, ask a catholic nun to remove her head dress? The conservatives, I am convinced, would never say that all woman are forbidden from wearing head dress during their citizenship oath as there is nothing wrong with it but instad have focused on lashing at the muslim tradition of head dress.