OTTAWA - Jason Kenney is publicly defending his directives while immigration minister to forbid women from wearing niqabs while taking the oath of citizenship.
In a tweet, Kenney — now employment and social development minister — says he believes people taking the oath should do so publicly, with their faces uncovered.
A Mississauga woman is suing the federal government, arguing the ban violates her Charter rights by failing to accommodate her religious beliefs.
In a Federal Court hearing Thursday in Toronto, Zunera Ishaq's lawyer accused Kenney of imposing his own ideology on citizenship ceremonies when he imposed the ban unilaterally in late 2011.
At the time, Kenney said the niqab represented a view of women that is unacceptable in Canada.
The government lawyer arguing the case said becoming a citizen is a privilege, not a right, and pointed out that Ishaq had removed her veil to get a driver's licence.
Negar Hashemi also said Ishaq declined an offer to take the oath at the front or the back of the citizenship court.
The judge has reserved his decision.
