Herouxville, Que. has an immigrant problem. That is, the small rural town (population 1,338) has just one immigrant family living in its limits and it wants more.

But Herouxville wants to make sure it gets the right kind of immigrant. Some residents have been alarmed at religious accommodations that have been made in other parts of Quebec, mainly on the issue of sexual modesty. A gym in Montreal was asked to cover its windows so women in skimpy clothes wouldn't be visible to a synagogue across the street. In other places, there were requests for separate gender swim times at public pools.

Herouxville Coun. Andre Drouin told the press: "I asked myself, 'How is it that these people can ask for such things?' And the only possible answer is that these people do not know who we are."

So, following a town meeting in December, Herouxville came up with a declaration of "norms" to educate potential new residents. You can read it for yourself at http://municipalite.herouxville.qc.ca/Standards.pdf.

To be fair, some of it sounds quite reasonable, progressive, even. Like this: "we would like to invite, without discrimination, in the future, all people ... that would like to move to this territory. Without discrimination means to us, without regard to race or to the colour of skin, mother tongue spoken, sexual orientation, religion, or any other form of beliefs."

Well, that sounds friendly enough.

So does this: "We consider that men and women are of the same value ... a woman can drive a car, vote, sign cheques, dance, decide for herself, speak her peace, dress as she sees fit respecting, of course, the democratic decency, walk alone in public places, study, have a job, have her own belongings and anything else that a man can do."

But then take a look at some of the points that take specific aim at religious groups: "If our children eat meat... they don't need to know where it came from or who killed it."

It's not clear how exactly Herouxville reconciles this contradictory assertion that it is a secular town, with its reverence for Christian holidays. "Every year we decorate a tree with balls and tinsel and some light," the declaration states. "This is normally called 'Christmas Decorations' or also 'Christmas Tree' letting us rejoice in the notion of our national heritage and not necessarily a religious holiday."

Christmas is not a religious holiday? Somebody better tell that to the pope. Even odder is that face veils and kirpans (Sikh ceremonial daggers) are forbidden, but wearing a Halloween mask is protected as a "religious traditional custom."

The whole tone of the declaration reminds me of those people who talk really, really loudly and slowly when their listener doesn't speak their language. It's patronizing. And more than that, it's offensive and mean-spirited in its equation of benign religious practices like eschewing pork or beef with the abuses of stoning or burning women.

I am the first to object when homophobes and women-haters try to use the right to religious freedom to protect themselves. Still, I don't have any problem with the broader community supporting people's religious requirements when they aren't harmful or don't impose upon the rights of others. Providing vegetarian, halal or kosher foods at school cafeterias, or establishing women-only swim times, or setting aside a quiet room for prayer seem like fair accommodations in a multicultural, multifaith, democratic country.

Most immigrants have chosen to come to Canada precisely because they share those values of tolerance and diversity. In its misguided declaration, the citizens of Herouxville haven't educated newcomers on Canadian customs, they've simply revealed their own prejudices.