Transport Minister Lisa Raitt and International Development Minister Christian Paradis

obtaining citizenship: The one place where I think we have a right and an obligation to stress Canadian values is in the act of obtaining one citizenship." Transport Minister Lisa Raitt, who described herself as a "strong feminist," candidly admitted she given no thought to the issue of wearing niqabs in venues other than citizenship ceremonies, according to Guelph Mercury. Others, including International Development Minister Christian Paradis, cast the issue strictly as a matter of requiring would-be citizens to identify themselves when taking the oath. "We need to know who they are," said Tory MP Costa Menegakis, parliamentary secretary to the citizenship and immigration minister. "Apart from that ... they should be able to wear absolutely, absolutely everywhere." The scramble to clarify came amid a social media backlash to Harper comments and escalating opposition charges that the Conservatives are deliberately stoking prejudice against Muslim Canadians in their bid to ramp up fear about radical Islamist terrorism. But they struggled to explain why wearing the face-covering veil is no big deal in other spheres of life, including the federal public service, if — as Prime Minister Stephen Harper maintains — it contrary to Canadian values and "rooted in a culture that is anti-women." "That is what the prime minister said and that is a point of view that one can hold," said Treasury Board President Tony Clement, who is responsible for federal civil service. "That doesn't mean that you can impose that view in the workplace or in the private sphere. Clement argued that Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, who gave a major speech Monday denouncing what he dubbed Harper "politics of fear," is the one expanding the issue beyond just niqabs at citizenship ceremonies. After offering several lines about Trudeau being out of step with public support for banning the niqab during citizenship ceremonies, the final point says: "Unlike Justin Trudeau, we are not afraid to call the growing threat of jihadi terrorism exactly that — jihadi terrorism." In the House of Commons, Trudeau demanded that Harper explain "to Canada half a million Muslim women why he said their chosen faith is anti-women." "Of course, I said no such thing," Harper countered. But Conservative party talking points issued Wednesday suggest the issue is tied to the party broader goal of making terrorism an key issue in the coming election. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.