Hush-Hush in Hampstead
By-Law Amendment Disregards Religious Freedom
The religious freedoms of Hampstead residents took a hit last Thursday when the Montreal town’s councillors modified its “no noise” bylaw,
limiting excessive noise from lawnmowers, leaf-blowers and other loud equipment, especially during statutory holidays.
The newest version of the bylaw now includes three additional days—the two days of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and the one of Yom Kippur, a traditional day of atonement.
“I think it’s completely asinine,” said CJAD radio host Dan Delmar, who has been keeping a critical eye on the tweaking of the policy. “People who are religious can observe privately, no matter what religion they are—there’s no reason why government should get involved in anyone’s religious practices.”
Delmar also explained that town officials are catering to the predominantly Jewish community, which, according to a letter from Hampstead Mayor William Steinberg, is “about 85 per cent” Jewish.
“We have to observe statutory holidays that are federal. It doesn’t make sense to start accommodating every single religion when it’s not a holiday for everyone,” Steinberg noted in a written statement.
The mayor was quick to come to his own defense on the matter. In the letter, he explained that the nuisance bylaw isn’t related to Judaism, but to the concept of good ol’ peace and quiet—whether it applies during religious or non-religious holidays.
Funny, though—considering Steinberg’s council chose to specifically highlight two Jewish holidays during which this bylaw is now to be enforced.
“It is unfortunate that the Town of Hampstead is being accused of imposing the religious views of our majority on the minority when we are just being even-handed,” he wrote.
The need for some tranquility in a residential neighborhood is understandable, but Jewish and non-Jewish residents alike should be allowed to mow their damn lawns whichever day they bloody well want—so long as it’s at a reasonable hour.
Common courtesy is always appreciated, but government intervention into personal and religious affairs like this is just uncalled for.
This bylaw is restricting homeowners from getting their work done, plain and simple. It’s absolutely ludicrous to slap the community with a religiously-driven rule—especially one so utterly trivial—and at the end of the day, it just seems like Steinberg’s trying to curry favour with his voter base.
On the other hand, many people don’t see the restriction as a religious imposition.
Hampstead resident and Concordia student Ariel James is in agreement with Steinberg—she believes that this issue isn’t even worth the squabble.
“From a Jewish perspective, I can’t really give my opinion because I’m not very religious,” she said. “I respect my religion and other religions—I just don’t see the point in all of this arguing.”
That may be a common-sense approach to the hullaballoo, but the argument against the bylaw has more depth if you take a closer look.
The Town of Hampstead is infringing on religious freedom. A town banning lawn mowing three days a year is barely worth mentioning—but the fundamental principle behind the action is out-of-line and frankly worrisome in a secular society like Canada’s.
“I think the bottom line is the councillors in Hampstead have passed really ridiculous laws and, as far as I’m concerned, it’s a town that I think our government should seriously look at taking under trusteeship,” said Delmar.
Hampstead’s governing body is evidently fixated on the dated church-state model. It isn’t democratic to forbid members of a community from going about their day-to-day lives in the name of a religion—no matter how many of its constituents identify with the faith.
The government, to paraphrase Pierre Trudeau, has no business in the front lawns of the nation.
Councillors should take the negative reactions that have accompanied their decision into account and review the impact of the revised bylaw. The actual impact of the legislature may be minor, but the impetus behind it is highly troubling.
They are fueling a strong religious rift, when they should be bringing the community together—finding ways to bring the remaining 15 per cent together with the Jewish majority, not stirring up potential resentments over trivialities.
It’s time to clean up your act, Hampstead—and your garden.
