Montreal to shed city hall welcome sign that includes woman wearing hijab

A welcome sign in the lobby of Montreal’s newly renovated city hall depicting a woman wearing a head scarf will be removed in the name of secularism, Montreal’s mayor says, following criticism that the image is offensive.Valerie Plante said during a talk show that aired Sunday night that the drawing of a woman wearing what looks like a hijab, or Islamic head scarf, will be taken down because of the “discomfort” it causes but also because institutions must strive to be secular.