A Canadian man is being denied a driver’s license because he refuses to take off a piece of what he considers religious headgear for the official photo.
It turns out that the British Columbia resident, Obi Canuel, practices pastafarianism, and is even an ordained minister in the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. The organization is a parody religion and was founded in 2005 as a satirical response to Christianity.
The headgear he insists on wearing for the official photo is a plastic pasta strainer.
The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia - which issues the licenses – initially took the photo and issued the 36-year-old a temporary license. But the ICBC has so far refused to provide a permanent license, even though the corporation normally tries to accommodate individuals with religious head coverings that their faith prohibits them from removing.
The ICBC explained its reason for denying this accommodation in Canuel’s case.
“Based on the information you have provided, we understand there is no religious requirement that prohibits you from removing the colander for the purpose of taking the photo to appear on your driver’s licence. Since you are wearing a colander in your current photo, ICBC will not issue you a photo Driver’s Licence using this photo.”
Canuel is now seeking help from others to share the story in his continuing fight to obtain a driver’s license while wearing the colander in the photo.
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