Canadian charter is a tool of destruction: Quebec councillor

A councillor from the small town at the centre of Quebec's debate on integrating immigrants said citizens must wrestle control of the issue away from the courts.

'The Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a tool to destroy our country.' —Hérouxville town councillor André Drouin

Hérouxville town councillor André Drouin said the only other solution is for Quebec— or any other province— to separate.

Drouin and the village's webmaster, Bernard Thompson, presented their point of view Wednesday at provincial government hearings into the practice of accommodating cultural minorities.

Whether it's allowing women to wear veils while voting or providing kosher meals in public hospitals, "we demand that the practice of Canadian courts of accommodating religion in Canada and Quebec cease immediately," Drouin told the commission.

"The Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a tool to destroy our country."

Hérouxville, population 1,300, is the town that adopted a code of conduct for immigrants earlier this year— even though scant few minorities choose to settle in the region halfway between Quebec City and Montreal.

The code declares certain practices such as stoning, burning with acid, and genital mutilation as contrary to Quebec values.

"We're pretty far from stoning here," commission head Gérard Bouchard told Drouin.

Drouin replied that global warming will bring a flood of immigrants to Canada, including many from Muslim countries.

"It doesn't matter in what country the stoning is taking place," Drouin told Bouchard and commission co-chair Charles Taylor.

"Stoning takes place, and some of those people will want to come here. It's important to be preventive."

Premier Jean Charestconvened the provincial commission to study the issue of reasonable accommodation after Hérouxville made global headlines with its provocative move.

Hérouxville's code of conduct also included a declaration of the right to dance and celebrate Christmas.

Bouchard, a sociologist, and Taylor, a philosopher, debated the issue with Drouin and Thompson for 35 minutes, despite the strict 15-minute limit placed on other presenters.

"Isn't it a bit offensive, the point of view you've taken, regarding Muslims, for example?" Bouchard suggested.

Drouin answered that none of their documents pointed to Muslims.

But the code clearly targets them, brushing aside the need for accommodating veils or dietary requirements like avoiding pork.

A sparse crowd in the 200-seat hall gave Drouin and Thompson, both engineers, a warm ovation at the end of their presentation.