Anjou politician faces backlash after venting online about doctor wearing headscarf

Anjou borough councillorLynne Shandis facing criticismafter sayingshe would haverefused to be treated by a doctor wearing a headscarf if her casehadn't been an emergency.

"Yesterday I had an emergency ophthalmology exam, and who was the ophthalmologist? A woman in a veil... Grrrrrr" Lynne Shand posted onher personalFacebook page.

"If it hadn't been an emergency I would have refused to be treated by her. I'm angry because it's really the Islamification of our country."

Shandsaw the doctor wearing a hijab at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospitallast Friday.

Her comments have been condemned by fellow politicians, includingMontreal Mayor Valrie Plante, who said Shand should be acting "in a responsible and respectful manner."

"The comments [from] the Anjou councillor are absolutely inappropriate and out of line for an elected official," Plante tweeted on Sunday.

Abdelhaq Sari,a City councillor in Montreal North, was also critical of Shand'spost over the weekend, sayingon his ownFacebook page that he is "outraged by these unacceptable andxenophobic words."

In a laterinterview, Shanddefended her post. She saidthatPlante removedthe crucifix from City Hall earlier in the week, and said no one is accusing the mayor of being "Christianophobic."

"I'm against religious signs.[People say] I'm a racist. I'm Islamophobic. Why don't they say to Mayor Plante, 'Oh, she took down the crucifix. She's a Christianophobic,'"Shandtold CBC.

"She's not, she's trying to include everyone."

Shandtold CBC that she isn't anti-Muslim. She is however, against "integrationists."

"We should try to live together, but living together means not wearing visible [religious] signs," Shand said.

Anjou Mayor Luis Miranda saidit isn't within his power to fire her from his team,quipe Anjou.

He said voters will decide in the next election if they want her to stay in her role. Shand was elected in 2017by a margin of 400 votes.

"She has a right to have her own opinions or whatever, but as an elected official I think she should have some kind of moderation on what she's saying and what she's doing," Miranda said.

"It's unfortunate."