A motion to overturn the keffiyeh ban in Queen’s Park failed to win unanimous consent Thursday, moments after Ontario Premier Doug Ford reiterated his view that banning the garment in the House is divisive.
“We see the division that is happening right now. It is unhealthy and this will only further divide the community,” Ford said at an unrelated news conference Thursday before Opposition Leader Marit Stiles introduced her motion.
On Wednesday, Ford called on House Speaker Ted Arnott to repeal the ban on the headscarf, which is worn by Palestinians, Muslims and Arabs around the world. Stiles had previously written to Arnott on April 12 indicating that members of his group had been asked to remove the garment while in the building.
In a letter to Stiles dated April 16, Arnott responded by saying that after “extensive investigation,” he concluded that “the use of keffiyehs at this time in our assembly is clearly intended as a political statement.”
However, he said, if a motion to allow the garment to be worn received unanimous consent, he would accept the decision.
In a motion tabled Thursday, Stiles said: “I seek unanimous consent for this House to recognize that the keffiyeh is a culturally significant article of clothing for many people in the Palestinian, Muslim and Arab communities of Ontario and should not be considered an expression of a political message nor a prop that is likely to cause disorder and should therefore be permitted to be used in the House.”
The motion failed.
Speaking in the legislature, Arnott said he heard “audible” no votes when he called for unanimous consent.
“It’s extremely sensitive from a political point of view, obviously, but from a procedural point of view, I think I made the right decision in the sense of past decisions of presidents, precedents and traditions,” he told reporters. after the vote.
Arnott noted that there is a “long-standing” policy on the use of political symbols, and that even MPs who want to wear sports jerseys in the legislature require a unanimous consent vote.
Speaking at the Legislature, Arnott said he heard “audible” no votes when he called for unanimous consent. He also said there have been cases where the House denied unanimous consent but then it was raised again, sometimes on the same day, and then the House granted consent.
“Obviously it’s extremely sensitive from a political point of view, but from a procedural point of view, I think I made the right decision in the sense of past decisions of speakers, precedents and traditions,” he told reporters.
Arnott noted that there is a “long-standing” policy on the use of political symbols, and that even MPs who want to wear sports jerseys in the legislature require a unanimous consent vote.
When asked why the policy applies outside the house, with some NDP staff being asked to remove their keffiyeh before entering the building, Arnott said it was because of “consistency.”
In February, Arnott sent a reminder to MPs about the House’s long-standing decorum rules on accessories that “express a political message or may cause disorder”, although the keffiyeh was not specifically mentioned.
PC MP Robin Martin voted against the motion, saying the decision follows the rules of the legislative assembly.
“Political attire is not permitted in the legislature…unless there is unanimous consent. (The speaker) looked into that decision and, in my opinion, it was the right decision,” he said.
Martin added that it is similar to a member wearing a “Free the Hostages” t-shirt in support of Israel in the war against Hamas or wrapping himself in a flag.
PC MP Lisa McLeod confirmed she supported the social media ban.
Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie has also called on Arnott to reverse the decision.