Even though Canadian immigration officials want Muslim women to remove their hijab when arriving in Canada and passing through security, so that all facial features can be seen, Prime Minister Paul Martin says: Let Muslim women keep hijabs on.

Prime Minister Paul Martin doesn’t want Muslim women arriving at Pierre Trudeau International Airport in Dorval to be required to remove their headscarves as they pass through security.

Four Muslim women complained this summer after they were told to take pff their hijabs so pictures of them could be taken for their permanent-residency cards.

Martin wants the practice stopped, saying an Islamic woman’s right to to wear the hijab must be respected.

Immigration is in part a Quebec jurisdiction, however, and it remains to be seen whether his instructions will be carried out.

Immigration Quebec was not available for comment yesterday.

In each of the four cases, Quebec immigration officials at the airport insisted the hijab had to come off so all facial features could be seen.

The Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations accused the immigration authorities of being overzealous.

The prime minister agreed.

UPDATE at 8/14/04 9:47:45 pm:

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