OTTAWA — A hearing is underway at the Federal Court of Appeal in Ottawa over whether a Muslim woman must remove her face covering to take the oath of citizenship.
The government is appealing a decision by a Federal Court judge who ruled the policy on face coverings is unlawful.
Justice Department lawyer Peter Southey is arguing the government's appeal of that ruling, telling three Appeal Court justices that Federal Court Judge Keith Boswell made three errors in law.
The case centres on a 29-year-old woman who came to Ontario from Pakistan in 2008 but because of her devout Muslim beliefs refused to take part in a citizenship ceremony because she would have to show her face.
The case has sparked bitter political debate in the House of Commons between the federal parties.
