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Turban stance questioned

Dear Editor:

Given the West Vancouver
‘Legion's solid reputation. it should
justily its recent, questionable letter
in support of the Newton Legion,
the legion that equates the Sikh tur-
ban with the baseball cap.

Since one of the five Sikh veter-
ans who precipitated the issue had
been attempting — for seven
unsuccessful years —— to become ¢
member at Newton, 1 believe the
“public should know. wliy the West

Van Legion chose to support those
. who continue to exclude him.

“fb could understand their offering
. support: if_one: Sikh had been
refused when other Sikhs were
already members of the Newton
_ Legion, but when no baptized Sikh
“4$-a member, it seems reasonable

“that membership has probably been
denied for other reasons.

By offering its uncritical sup-

‘ port,.the West Vancouver Legion |

has associated itself with this group
“that limits its membership by selec-
tively applying it s “no headgear”

‘rule. . a

‘T say selectively because, while

Sikhs in turbans. are denied entry, .

“the Newton Legion apparently
“admits. women wearing head-
“scarves ‘and’ doesnot: require Santa
Claus to be bare-headed. .
Determining me embership ‘by
pplying:a:rule to Gne group and
vot to others has an ugly name.

f-the ‘West Van‘ Legion.cz annot

E suc of membership rules
“justify, supporling the Newton
policy, can it-do so ‘on the basis of
the legion’s British traditions?
“&After all, the removal-of-head-
gear. rule is reasonable and appro-
iate, considering its Anglo ori-

Alas, ‘however, the legion’s
sanctioning the’ Sikh turban, =. |;

. British | (and
anadian smilitary tradition of

dofting one’s headgear: began our

of- respect and.an attempt to estab-
sh a-relaxed atmosphere among
thetranks;:
have ins
eir Sikh mnémbers, wear -nrbans,

: Rez ‘North Shore New Friday:
Dec. 24;-1993:° Jee
“EXCELLENT! : ot
: Three times ‘a week I look for-

ward to-receiving the next edition
and was particularly pleased, that
» you ‘praised’ your “stati”
ing their pictures. (All 123 —
though five were missing.)

"DP read the North: Share News
thoroughly but I'm sure you will
understand that I have favorite
“entries.” With all due respect ta
‘those’ who contribute to.my enjoy-
ment, 1 present lo you my top
“three:

B Joy Metcalfe. whom everyone
must consider an absolute delight.
Wright or Wrong is always on!

Last, but certainly not least — |

, that “*non-racist™ Doug. | thank you
“for having the intestinal fortitude to
defend his freedom of specch.
_ 2 Pextend best wishes to Trevor,
“Bob, Paul, Timothy. Barbara (m-
Eleanor,
Michael, the contributing writers,
news reporters, Inquiring Repor-
- ters, eral.

As Mr. Collins woutd say: “tl
certainly hope I have not offended
‘anyone by leg aving them off my
Hist.” .

Mr, Speck. L hope you get the
message that | enjoy reading the
_ North Shore News.
Reg B: Ayres
North Vancouver :

“are appealing neither to

own
litary: history dogs: not support,

the ‘British armed forces.
sted, since the 1850s, that:

by show- -

In facet, fo my knowledge, Sikhs
have never removed —~ in tact.
have been ordered not to remove —-
their headgear, even in frost of the
Queen.

The British realized what the
current no-turban faction is deter-
mined to ignore — that a baptized
Sikh shows respect for the dead by
not removing his headgear.

But we are Canadians now.
claim, legionnaires ~- tied to the
Canadian forces. not British rules,

So we are. but our awn rules
support the wearing of the turban.
According to Canadian Forces
Dress Regulations, Sikh head-dress.
“shall nat be removed: ... when
entering # mess, canteen or dining
roomiand at format or informal
functions, when the removal of
head-dress might otherwise be con-
sidered appropriate.”

This last phrase reinforces that
turban-wearing by a Sikh serves the
same purpose as headgear-removal
by a non-Sikh, to show respect.

While those Opposed to turbans
are fond of quoting “tradition,” they
the
Canadian Legion’s tradition nor to
its current policies.

_ How does West Van justify its
support of those who would’keep
turbans out of legions?

Noi on the grounds of member-

J ship rules, °

Not by appealing to British tra-
dition or Canadian military prac-
tice.

» Not by quoting the rules of the
Canadian Legion, since the national
executive has publicly opposed the
Newton rule.

Not by claiming their support to
be a benign expression of comrade.
ship. expecially since its president
is on record with Pacitie Command
as intending to argue against the
national position at the May con-
vention.

Finally. not by conforming ta
the B.C, Human Rights Act. which
protects turban-wearers against dis-
crimination.

So what justification is tet?

While | hope the Newton
Legion will change its rule before
the national convention in May, |
vagerly anticipate the publication of
West Van's rationale for its fetter

ind the clarification of its position

on Sikh turbans.
Bob Mallett
West Vancouver

for your holidays
Hawaii
Mexico —
Caribbean -

1126 Lonsdale Ave., N. Van,

987-5244.

Ted White, M.P.
Suite 302

1200 Lynn Vailey Rd.
North Vancouver
V7I3 ZA2

Telephone: 666-0585
Fax: 666-0509

THE BLOC QUEBECOIS

f The.presence of the Bloc
B. Quebecois in The House of Commons
. has generated a number of calts to my

office. Most of the calls have
‘expressed upset, even outrage, that

the Bloc sits as the Official Opposition. -

SOVEREIGNTISTS

Blos MPs take great pains to point”

out that they are sovereigntists - not
separalists. They say they want asso-
ciation with Canada, not a break up.
However, BCTV reported that they
could find no Canadian flags in eny
Bloc offices and | have found no com-
mitment to Canada in the election
platform of the Bloc.

Most Bloc MPs use every possible
opportunity to demand a greater share
of federal resources for Quebec.
Frankly it becomes a bit tedious listen-
ing to them day after day, but they
must have the support of their voters
or they would have toned things down
by now. Their “more for Quebec"
stance is making it impossible for us
to vote with them on most of what
they propose in The House.

ELECTION PLATFORM

The election platform documenta-
tion builds a case to support the Bloc
position that Quebec has been badly
treated by past federal governments
and that nothing will change in the
future.

The document asks why; if you
argue that it is beneficial for Quebec to
be part of Canada, would you not argue
that it is beneficial for Canada to be part
of the USA? If you understand
Canadian nationalism then you should
understand Quebec nationalism,

It is pointed out that the last report
of the Economic Council of Canada
spoke objectively about the economic

viability of a sovereign Quebec. A fairly
complex economic case is also made
to show that Quebec wouid be better
off financially if it could run its own
affairs. If Quebec had voted for sover-
eignty in its last referendum it would
have inherited just 18% of the approxi-
mately $70 billion debt at the time. Now
it will have to take 18% of $500 billion.

The plea is made for Qusbec to
become sovereign betore the inevitable
debt crisis hits Canada.

REFORMING
FEDERALISM
On page 27 are the words, ‘In the
eyes of English Canada there is a
Canadian nation made up of ten equal
provinces.... and this nation, like an
orchestra, has one conductor, the fed-
eral government."

However, "In the eyes of Quebec,’
there are a number of nations within
Canada... and the government of
‘Quebec is a national government with
the same status as the federal govern-
ment.”

For these reasons, the Bloc
Quebecois feels that reforming federal-
ism is impossible and that the mission
of the Bloc in Ottawa is to prepare the
way for sovereignty.

FACING FACTS

No matter what we think about the
Bloc and its purpose, the fact is that the
voters of Quebec put them in Ottawa
and we must for ihe meantime work
with that reality. Only after another ref-
erendum in Quebec, likely next year,
will we learn the long term role of. the
Bloc in Canada.

A reference copy of the full 67 page
Bloc Quebecois Election Platform is
available for study in our olfice..

| Chez Ele}
ESTHETICS

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