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The normally garrulous Conservative minister turned bashful all of a sudden. The mandate of the new Office of Religious Freedom is foreign policy, he said.

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Forum compiled the poll by looking at responses from 1,189 Canadians 18 years of age and older throughout Canada on Aug. 23. Approval was highest in Quebec, where 58% of citizens support the proposed charter.

“If you define a nation by social cohesiveness, then Quebec is a true nation,” said Forum Research President Lorne Bozinoff. “They resemble the Swiss in their eagerness to protect their, forgive the term, historic social monoculture. Canadians at large, used to years of immigration, don’t understand this, but Quebec is always in mortal fear for its soul.”

The legislation being considered would see the Quebec government outlaw public employees from wearing hijabs, turbans, kippas, crucifixes and other religious clothing and symbols in schools, hospitals and other government buildings in the province.

When respondents across Canada were asked whether they approved or disapproved of such a proposal, less than half, 47%, said they disapproved.

Support was highest among Conservative supporters, with nearly 50% in favour, while 39% of New Democrats and only 32% of Liberals said they approve.

Next to Quebec, the most supportive province was Ontario, with as many as four in 10 voicing approval.

However, fewer Canadians supported the possibility of extending a ban to include wearing “minority religious head wear and symbols” when applying for government services.