Quebec's justice minister is expected to make public this week the guidelines for how Bill 62 will be applied as law, a document that wasn't supposed to be ready until next summer.
Stéphanie Vallée said it's necessary to do so because things have "escalated" in the past few days. She is appealling for calm and wants to "properly communicate and explain" the law to the population .
The bill was passed as law last week. It requires people to show their faces when they give or receive public services.
Vallée said she was surprised by Canadians' reactions since it was passed. Many have expressed staunch opposition, saying it's a thinly veiled target of Muslim women who wear niqabs, is discriminatory and could encourage harassment.
Despite that, Vallée defends the law championed by the provincial Liberal government, saying her government outlined its position on the matter long ago, and that the debate surrounding face coverings and religious garb has been going on in Quebec for the past decade. [CBC News] Read more
