This editorial misses the point in two ways.  First, covering the female face is not a basic tenet of Islam, it is a cultural practice of extreme variants of the religion. This makes it very different from the Sikh turban, and different even from the Jewish kippah.  The latter is not worn by most Jews, but all Jews recognize that an observant Jew must wear it. Observant Muslim women are not in general expected to wear the niqab.

The second issue is the rationale for the legislation in Quebec and many European countries. It has little to do with security and nothing to do with discrimination.  It is simply a fact that, in our culture, and most others, human interchange can only proceed successfully on a face to face basis.  This applies to business, education, and many services. It doesn't apply to riding on a bus or walking around on the street. The law should be amended, but its basis is sound.