La Ronde is a popular amusement park in Montréal. Kids love it, including, of course, the many children of Montréal’s large orthodox Jewish community. For the boys who attend Camp Gan Israel in the Laurentians, the trip to La Ronde is one of the highlights of the summer.
One of the reasons Jews (and Muslims) like La Ronde is that they’re allowed to bring their own kosher (and halal) snacks, contrary to the park’s policy that visitors have to buy the food sold in the park. The park doesn't sell kosher (or halal) food, so Jewish and Muslim kids are exempt from the rule, as a deep bow to "celebrating diversity" and "religious accommodation".
This was revealed by Le Journal de Montréal in "Lunchs interdits à la Ronde sauf pour les juifs et les musulmans", a feature story which ran on July 16th. But now the concession to "those of other faiths" is over.
In a statement released yeseterday, spokesthingy Catherine Tremblay told the media "After hearing feedback from our guests, La Ronde would like to clarify that only guests with special medical dietary needs will be considered to bring outside food with them as they enter the park."
The escalating pushback against "reasonable accommodation" of Québec’s religious minorities comes as the government of la Belle Province prepares a new charter to protect "Québec values" against assault by minority religious groups and the "human rights industry".
As reported here ("PQ not so PC as TROC?"), the Québec Soccer Federation made headlines when it tried to ban turban-wearing Sikhs from playing. It was forced to reverse the rule ban after FIFA -- "football"’s international governing body -- said they had nothing against the headgear.
A month earlier, Bernard Drainville, the minister responsible for the values charter, denounced another policy of the city of Montréal, under which Jews are allowed to park wherever they like during their high holidays.
Le Journal de Montréal has been accused by the usual suspects of "accommodation vigilantism". Looks to Poor Len as if they just want to know when the pandering is going to end. The 19,000 Québecois who signed an Internet petition against special treatment for minorities would like to know too.
Footnote: La Ronde is owned by Six Flags Entertainment Corp., in the news this week for allegedly failing to take proper care of morbidly obese people who like to ride its roller coasters. Stay off the La Ronde coaster, eh!
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