Keffiyeh ban keeps Kitchener woman from entering Queen’s Park
A Palestinian woman from Kitchener is speaking out after she was denied entry into Queen’s Park over a cultural piece of clothing.
On Monday, Beisan Zubi drove from Kitchener to Queen’s Park to attend question period, but was turned away by security because of her keffiyeh.
“I was incredulous to be quite honest,” Zubi told CTV News. “I was born maybe a 15 minute walk away from Queen’s Park, I’ve been very involved in politics ever since my first job.”
Keffiyehs are traditional scarves commonly worn in Arab cultures, including Palestinian people.
The garment has been worn in solidarity for Palestine. House Speaker Ted Arnott recently instituted a ban on keffiyehs in a move to keep them from being worn as a political statement.
“Security asked me ‘is that a keffiyeh?’ and I said ‘yes, do you like it?’ and [they] said ‘they’re banned’”, Zubi said.
In a public statement Premier Doug Ford said he does not support the House Speaker’s decision as “it needlessly divides the people of our province.” He called on Speaker Arnott to reverse the ban immediately.
The House Speaker said he would remove the ban if the legislature unanimously backed an NDP motion to reverse it, but the motion failed after Ontario PC MPP Robin Martin voted against it. The NDP brought a second motion forward which also failed.
“The idea that a Palestinian, an Ontario Palestinian can’t even enter into Queen’s Park while wearing her mother’s scarf that she’s had longer than I’ve been alive,” Zubi said. “It’s just discrimination.”
Arab Canadian Lawyers Association president Dania Majid was denied entry into the legislature if she wasn’t willing to remove her keffiyeh. On Tuesday she told CTV News the ban forced her to move her meeting with NDP leader Marit Stiles outdoors.
“The matter is in the government’s hands and what they want to signal to Ontarians,” Majid said. “Do they want to tell Ontarians of all political backgrounds, stripes, cultures that a single person can decide whether they’re welcomed or unwelcomed in Queen’s Park.”
While some believe keffiyehs are worn as a political ploy, Zubi said she’s never worn her scarves for that reason.
“So many people say ‘well I’ve never seen this before’, were you looking for it before?” Zubi said. “I’ve been wearing mine for a very long time. It’s not this new thing, it’s not a fad, it’s not a trend.
The Arab Canadian Lawyers Association is calling on MPPs of all parties to listen to their constituents and find a path to unanimous consent for ban reversal.
Zubi said she plans on filing a charter challenge to reverse the ban which she believes violates her rights and freedoms. She adds she will not return to Queen’s Park until she can freely wear her keffiyeh into the legislature.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.