NDP make 2nd push to end keffiyeh ban at Queen's Park
CBC
Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles plans to introduce another motion Tuesday for unanimous consent to overturn a ban on keffiyehs in the provincial legislature — but a government MPP says she will again vote against the effort.
"Ontario is made up of lots of different cultures, and people should be able to wear their cultural attire into the legislature and anywhere else," Stiles said at a morning news conference.
The controversial prohibition was instituted by House Speaker Ted Arnott earlier this month.
Keffiyehs are a commonly worn scarf among Arabs, but hold particular significance to Palestinian people. They have been a frequent sight among pro-Palestinian protesters calling for an end to the violence in Gaza as the Israel-Hamas war continues.
Arnott says keffiyehs are being worn at Queen's Park to make an overt political statement and that the ban conforms with longstanding conventions of decorum in the legislature.
A unanimous consent motion introduced by Stiles last week failed after Progressive Conservative MPP Robin Martin voted against it, despite Premier Doug Ford's own calls for the ban to be reversed.
In a statement Tuesday, Martin said she will again vote against any unanimous consent motion on the issue.
"To agree to a motion similar to the one put forward on Thursday by MPP Stiles, which declares the keffiyeh to be a cultural symbol and not a political one, would be to deny the fact and reality that it has taken on an inherent political meaning, particularly at this time," Martin said.
Overturning the ban would "would establish a dangerous precedent" and undermine democratic institutions, she added.
"I recognize that I may personally face political repercussions because of my vote and continued stance on this motion. I accept that," Martin said.
Last week, Ford said the ban "needlessly divides the people of our province" and urged his caucus to support the original NDP motion. The other opposition parties have also requested the prohibition be lifted.
Following last week's vote, Arnott said in a statement he would reconsider his position if the house were to unanimously consent to a motion calling on him to do so.
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