Horses for Hutterites


It seems that the only option left for Alberta’s Hutterites is to jump on a horse to get where they’re going. At least the SCOC had the good sense to throw this foolishness into the “not a chance bin”. Identification is a fact of life whether you’re a Hutterite or a Muslim woman. Licenses and other forms of ID have to carry identifiable photographs in order to be of any use at all. Society’s right to safety trumps religious rights every time. Score one for sensibility!

Alberta Hutterites lose bid for second hearing over photo ID

(CP)

OTTAWA — The Supreme Court of Canada will not let a group of Alberta Hutterites re-argue their case against photo drivers licences.

The high court gives no reasons for refusing the appeal, but such a second chance is rarely granted. The Hutterites went to court after the province required in 2003 that all licence holders be photographed for a provincial facial recognition data bank.

They said the requirement violated their religious beliefs and their rights under the charter.

The high court agreed that the requirement is an infringement, but said it’s a reasonable one and thus is allowed.

The religious group then sought permission to re-argue the case.

The province tried to accommodate the Hutterites, offering to leave the photo off the licence itself, while requiring a picture for the data bank.

They rejected that, saying their beliefs prohibit them from voluntarily having their pictures taken.

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