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Mulcair knows the NDP must hold onto its base in Quebec if it hopes to form the next government, but his speech resisted pandering to the large majority of Quebecers who oppose the niqab. A church-like silence fell over the crowd of NDP supporters before he arrived at the podium, signalling it would not be a typical campaign pep rally.

He accused Stephen Harper’s Conservatives of creating a “toxic” campaign by transforming the niqab court case into an election issue. (The announcement the decision would be appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada was made in Trois-Rivières by Harper’s Quebec lieutenant, Denis Lebel.)

“The Conservatives crossed the line with the intention of frightening Canadians, even if it is on the backs of vulnerable citizens,” Mulcair said.

“The niqab question is the latest in the Conservative bag of tricks, an emotional issue, that in reality only directly affects a very small number of citizens, in a very specific situation, but which stirs up fear of the unknown and of the foreign.”

He acknowledged the NDP’s stance is hurting the party, but said it is a matter of respecting the law and individual rights.

“I understand that many view the niqab as a symbol of the oppression of women. And on that, let me be clear: No one has the right to tell a woman what she must — or must not — wear,” he said.

Mulcair added he agrees with current rules, which require a woman wearing a niqab to identify herself by revealing her face to a female citizenship official in private before taking the oath. But she should not be denied citizenship if she chooses to wear the niqab during the ceremony.