GIVING CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

While I do not intend to devote any part of Wrights Lane to comment on the upcoming Canadian election, I was impressed with both participants in the following campaign trail exchange as reported by the CBC Network.

A campaigning Jagmeet Singh had a public encounter today with a man in Montreal who urged the NDP leader to "cut off" his turban to "look more like a Canadian."

Singh was engaging prospective voters at Atwater Market this morning in front of media cameras and reporters. He approached an elderly man to greet him.

As Singh shook his hand, the man spoke to the NDP leader in English.

"You know what? You should cut your turban off," he said. "You'll look like a Canadian."

"Oh, I think Canadians look like all sorts of people," Singh replied. "That's the beauty of Canada."

"Yeah, but..." the man said — before Singh cut him off.

"That's okay, I don't agree, sir," he said.

"In Rome, you do as the Romans do," the man said.

"Hey, but this is Canada, you can do whatever you like," Singh said, then walked way.

"All right, take care, eh?" the man called after him. "I hope you win."

Singh, who faces significant pressure to defend his party's seats in Quebec, already has said an NDP government wouldn't challenge Quebec's religious symbols law in court — but he hopes his own public identity can change Quebecers' minds about wearing religious symbols.

"I'm a bearded, turbaned man that's going to Quebec and saying, 'I love the French language, I respect the unique identity of Quebec and I want to fight to defend it and I'm proud of who I am,'" Singh said last month.

The provincial religious symbols law, known as Bill 21, bars teachers, judges and other public sector workers from wearing religious symbols and clothing at work. Federal party leaders have spoken out against the law — but have not agreed to join any legal challenge of Bill 21.

I give Singh full marks for the way in which he handled the encounter with the elderly man who spoke his mind in Montreal. To my mind it was a perfect example of civilly agreeing to disagree on a rather personal matter.

And you know what...There was sincerity in the man's not-too-subtle suggestion. I have no doubt that Singh would in fact pick up considerable votes if he did "cut off" his turban.

I would, however, be disappointed in Singh if he did decide to look more Canadian at this stage of the game. He is standing on principle and he can't be criticized for that. It won't make him Prime Minister, but it is gutsy -- and commendable.

Only in Canada, you say!?