An NDP candidate in Quebec with a personal beef against the wearing of niqabs during citizenship ceremonies wants the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms amended.
Jean-Francois Delisle said if elected, his party will negotiate with the provinces to reopen the Constitution in order to abolish the Senate.
He suggests the party could kill two birds with one stone by using the opportunity to deal with the niqab issue.
“Thomas Mulcair is ready to open the Constitution for the Senate, so why wouldn’t he be ready to open it up on this issue?” Delisle asked during an interview with The Canadian Press at a cafe in Lac-Megantic, Que., on Friday.
Delisle doesn’t hide his disagreement with the wearing of a niqab while swearing the oath of citizenship.
“To have one’s face covered for a swearing-in ceremony, I’m not in agreement with that,” said Delisle, who is seeking to win Megantic-L’Erable, the riding held by outgoing Conservative cabinet minister Christian Paradis.