Stiles outlines next steps to overturn keffiyeh ban

QUEEN’S PARK – Marit Stiles, Official Opposition and Ontario NDP Leader released the following statement concerning her party’s work to overturn the keffiyeh ban at the Legislative Assembly:

“The leaders of all parties in the Legislature, including the Premier, have publicly supported our call to reverse the keffiyeh ban – but a handful of Conservative MPPs are standing in the way.

"It’s time to finally end this unjust ban and the Premier has the power to do it by putting it to a formal vote. I am calling on Premier Ford to work with us when the House returns this week, to bring down the temperature and do what’s right.

"If we don’t see action, we’ll do what Ford won’t - and fix this ourselves by forcing a recorded vote of all members.”

BACKGROUND:

How the NDP has challenged the keffiyeh ban:

• When NDP caucus staff were asked to remove their keffiyehs to enter the workplace, Stiles wrote the Speaker to appeal for a change to his ruling that the garment was a strictly political item.
• When the Speaker replied to say he was upholding the ruling, Stiles brought the issue public, leading the other party leaders and the Premier himself to publicly call for the ban to be reversed.
• Stiles has twice sought unanimous consent to overturn the ban, only to be blocked by Conservative MPPs who said ‘no’.
• Unlike unanimous consent motions, an Opposition Day motion (which the NDP gets a limited number of) only needs a simple majority of members voting in favour. The next opportunity for this vote is May 13.
• With the support of NDP, Liberal and Green MPPs and just 22 Conservative votes, the NDP’s motion could pass.