Catherine Côté

Freedom of religion, women's agency and banning the face veil: the role of feminist beliefs in shaping women's opinion

Several countries have imposed bans on the wearing of face veils, a controversial option considered in Bill 94 by the province of Quebec in 2010. This paper examines non-Muslim womens support for the acceptability of the niqab in public spaces. Analysing the 2010 Quebec Womens Political Participation Survey, we find that key feminist arguments – that wearing the niqab is a womans free choice, a matter of freedom of religion and a visible symbol of womens oppression – are important drivers of opinion. Their role in shaping opinion, however, is complex and mirrors divisions among feminist groups in the province. Additional attitudinal drivers include generation, exposure to the practice and openness to immigration. Equally important, our findings suggest that being a member of a racial minority, feelings of cultural insecurity and religiosity are of little consequence for thinking on the issue.

The Presence (or Lack Thereof) of a Federal Culture in Canada: The Views of Canadians

Canada may be among the oldest federations in the world but this says nothing about the strength of federalism in Canada. Based on the results of public opinion polling and roundtables with provincial government officials, this article argues that the political culture of federalism in Canada is quite weak. With the notable exception of Québec, Canadians in general and the provincial government officials who work on their behalf demonstrate little understanding of the basic logic of federalism or, when they do, are willing to trade off federalism values against concerns about efficiency, private goods, and meeting the needs of clients and consumers.

Social Participation During Transition to Adult Life Among Young Adults With High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders: Experiences From an Exploratory Multiple Case Study

This study aimed to explore the social participation of young adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (HFASD) during their transition to adult life. A multiple case study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 10 participants (n = 10) composed of three adults with HFASD, their caregivers, and two representatives of community organizations. Four themes emerged: (1) access to services, (2) orientation to integrated life goals, (3) engagement in meaningful activities, and (4) gap in services before reaching independent living. Properly preparing and orienting the families could help them have a more satisfying social participation.