Getting or renewing your driver’s license has to be one of the most unpleasant aspects of modern life. Ken Egilsson of Red Deer Alberta tried to spice things up by wearing an Edmonton Oilers uniform and hat during the taking of his license photo, although the hat wasn’t allowed. But Egilsson didn’t take it off, and his reasoning as told to the CBC is so perfectly Canadian it should be sponsored by Tim Horton’s.
“I would say hockey is a religion for lots of Canadian men and boys,” Egilsson said.
And because hockey is a religion to him, he should have the right to wear his cap because freedom of religion allows him to wear his religious headgarb during his license photo. Head coverings worn for religious or medical reasons during these photos are allowed.
“We say all the time we have a separation between church and state in Canada,” said Egilsson.
“So if we have a separation between church and state then you should not be allowed to use any religious or cultural beliefs to circumvent laws that we already have in place.”
“If certain people or certain groups are allowed to cover their head, then I should be able to cover my head based on equality,” he added.
Egilsson buys a new Oilers hat at the start of every season, and only takes it off when he showers, sleeps, is at a funeral, or when “O Canada” is played.
“We’re taught hockey from a very young age. I’ve personally been on skates since I was four years old. Hockey to me is my religion. I eat, sleep and breathe hockey. I coach a minor hockey league team. I’m on the ice three to four times a week.”
Egilsson is also an Oilers fan, which means he’s been subjected to immense pain, torture and torment over his life, and now wants to subject the Albertan and Canadian governments to that same pain by fighting them on the most minuscule of “freedom of religion” issues, and even that’s a stretch.
Egilsson in his steadfastness is not giving up his hat without a fight.
“I’m willing to go as high as I can go. I’ll take it all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada.”
I’m sure they’ll love hearing about a man who’s probably going bald and therefore won’t take his hat off because he can’t let his beloved Oilers ever leave his head. Maybe that, or it’s Stockholm Syndrome.
For the record, Canada did allow a man to wear a colander on his head for “religious reasons” five years ago, so maybe a ratty Oilers hat isn’t so bad after all.
[CBC]
