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Canadian minister honored by Muslims

TORONTO, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- The Canadian immigration minister who banned the face-covering burqa in citizenship courts was honored by a Muslim group Sunday.

The Muslim Canadian Congress praised Jason Kenney at a Toronto reception for prohibiting new citizens from wearing the apparel during swearing-in ceremonies, clothing described by former Congress President Farzana Khan as symbols of gender inequality and Islamic extremism, the Toronto Sun reported.

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Kenney was urged to extend the ban to all public sector work, something he said he would consider, adding that 81percent of Canadian citizens agreed with him on the swearing-in issue.

"For me it's a simple principle," he said. "People take a public oath publicly."

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