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https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/it-s-dis...io-legislature-for-wearing-keffiyeh-1.6858386
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
On Monday, Kitchener resident Beisan Zubi drove to Toronto to listen to Question Period, but she wasn’t allowed in the building because she was wearing a keffiyeh.
The scarf, she said, belonged to her mother.
“It's older than I am. This is something that's been passed down to me. I'm very proud of it,” she told CTV News Toronto.
She said she was shown a printed letter that said no visitors to the legislative assembly will be allowed to wear the keffiyeh.
“In consideration of the geopolitical situation in the Middle East, the keffiyeh now holds strong political connotations affected by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and wearing the scarf in the Legislative Assembly would be considered a political statement.”
“I was confused,” Zubi said. “Is this the only cultural, you know, where that is banned? Apparently, yes.”
She says it feels as though the government is telling Palestinians they are not welcome at the legislature.
“Are you telling me I shouldn't be proud? Are you telling me I can't participate in our political arenas? What is the message here,” she said.
“That's not appropriate. That's not anything that any of elected officials should be proudly saying.”
Beisan Zubi is seen in this undated photograph. (Provided)
On Tuesday the Ontario New Democratic Party tried for a second time to obtain unanimous consent to reverse the ban, but the motion failed.
House Speaker Ted Arnott told reporters that he heard some “nays” and therefore could not take any action. Arnott was the one who originally instituted the ban, arguing there is a “long-standing” policy about wearing political symbols in the House.
Premier Doug Ford has said publicly that he does not support banning the keffiyeh(opens in a new tab) and has asked the speaker to reverse his decision.
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
On Monday, Kitchener resident Beisan Zubi drove to Toronto to listen to Question Period, but she wasn’t allowed in the building because she was wearing a keffiyeh.
The scarf, she said, belonged to her mother.
“It's older than I am. This is something that's been passed down to me. I'm very proud of it,” she told CTV News Toronto.
She said she was shown a printed letter that said no visitors to the legislative assembly will be allowed to wear the keffiyeh.
“In consideration of the geopolitical situation in the Middle East, the keffiyeh now holds strong political connotations affected by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and wearing the scarf in the Legislative Assembly would be considered a political statement.”
“I was confused,” Zubi said. “Is this the only cultural, you know, where that is banned? Apparently, yes.”
She says it feels as though the government is telling Palestinians they are not welcome at the legislature.
“Are you telling me I shouldn't be proud? Are you telling me I can't participate in our political arenas? What is the message here,” she said.
“That's not appropriate. That's not anything that any of elected officials should be proudly saying.”
On Tuesday the Ontario New Democratic Party tried for a second time to obtain unanimous consent to reverse the ban, but the motion failed.
House Speaker Ted Arnott told reporters that he heard some “nays” and therefore could not take any action. Arnott was the one who originally instituted the ban, arguing there is a “long-standing” policy about wearing political symbols in the House.
Premier Doug Ford has said publicly that he does not support banning the keffiyeh(opens in a new tab) and has asked the speaker to reverse his decision.
