The Ford government will permit Sikhs to ride motorcycles without helmets, it was announced Wednesday. There was no reference to road safety in the statement, the reason given by the previous Liberal government for refusing an exemption. It is a classic instance of religious freedom coming face to face with potential peril — death in fact — on the road. Sikhs wear a turban instead of any other headgear as a matter of religious observance. The PC government said it considered the decision to be an election promise kept. “We promised to establish a helmet exemption for Sikh motorcyclists,” Ford said in the statement. “Today we are taking action to fulfill that promise. We listened to the Sikh community and we intend to exempt them from the requirement to wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle.” MPP Prabmeet Sarkaria has tabled legislation which if passed, as expected, would grant the exemption. Currently, the law requires anyone riding a motorcycle in Ontario to wear a helmet. No doubt many will be watching for the first Sikh motorcycle fatality. Alberta, British Columbia and Manitoba all exempt Sikhs from helmets.
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