“J’ai l’impression qu’on est en train de mettre en place un modèle de ce que c’est la femme libre. On lui dit plus que tu rapproches de ce modèle-là, plus tu es libre; plus que tu t’éloignes de ce modèle-là, moins tu l’es. Le feminisme en soi c’est pas se battre pour porter le moins de vêtements possible; c’est pas se battre pour porter le plus de vêtements possible; c’est se battre pour avoir le choix!”
For a lot of Quebecers, the debate over religious symbols in public life is an abstract one. For Sondos Lamrhari, it’s very real.
Lamrhari is a police cadet at Ahuntsic College in Montreal. She also wears a hijab. And if the Parti Quebecois or the Coalition Avenir Quebec win power in the next election, she may be forced to choose between her dream job working for a Quebec police force, and her faith.
Lamrhari is determined, however, to be the province’s first police officer to wear the hijab and believes it will favour rapprochement with Muslim communities.
“Pour le moment, ca resemble a ca (that she will be the first). J’aimerais vraiment ca devinir policiere au Quebec.”
“For the moment, it looks like it (that she will be the first). I would really love to be a police officer in Quebec.”
Lamhari joined Anne-France Goldwater and special guest Marie-Hélène Dubé for this special French-language episode of The Goldwaters to sit down and talk about her case.
The two opposition parties have said if they form government, they’ll make it so public servants cannot wear religious symbols while on duty. Critics, including Quebec’s justice minister, have said this is an affront to diversity and inclusion in the province’s public service.
Goldwater wanted to know what it it meant to Lamrhari to be a police officer, and how the political opposition to her felt.
“Could you explain to the listeners who may be less familiar with you beliefs what the hijab signifies for you?” Goldwater asked.
“I have the impression that we are trying to put in place a model of what the Free Woman is. We tell her, the closer you get to this model, the freer you are; the farther you get, the less free you become. Feminism is not fighting to wear as few clothes as possible; it’s not fighting to wear the most clothes possible. It’s fighting to have the choice!”
“Comment est ce qu’on pourrais expliquer a nos auditeurs qui sont peut etre un peu moin familier avec vos croyances qu’est ce que ca signifie le port du hijab pour vous?” Goldwater asked.
“J’ai l’impression qu’on est en train de mettre en place un modele de ce que c’est la femme libre. On lui dit plus que tu raproches de ce modele la, plus tu est libre; plus que tu t’eloigne de ce modele la, moins tu l’est. Le feminisme en soie c’est pas ce battre pour porter le moin de vetements possible; c;est pas ce battle pour porter le plus de vetements possible; c’est ce battre pour avoir le choix!”
The Goldwater-Dubé law firm also represents activist Dalila Awada; she took legal action against a number of Quebec commentators who referred to her as a radical Islamist following an appearance on Tout le monde en parle where she wore a hijab. A verdict in Awada’s case is expected soon.
“J’aurais pensee que c’etait une question resolu depuis longtemps selon la Charte canadienne des droits et libertees… J’ose dire a tous ces politiciens, dont la majorite sont Catholiques, que c’est pas tres Catholique de leurs parts d’essayer de rejeter, d’effrayer ou d’intimider une jeune femme si intellectuelle, qui est si eloquente au lieu de l’acceuillir chaleureusement… Je crois que cette jeune femme sera un atout pour n’importe quel corps policier,” Goldwater said.
“I would have thought that the question would have been resolved long ago due to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms… I dare say to all these politicians, the majority of whom are Catholic, that it’s not very Catholic to try to reject, frighten and intimidate a young women who is an eloquent intellectual instead of welcoming her warmly (into the civil service),” Goldwater said. “I think this young woman would be an asset to any police force.”