One of the four competencies inherent within Cultural Intelligence is CQ Knowledge - understanding the cultural values, cultural systems, and the socio-linguistic variables present in a given situation. Often, obtaining an adequate knowledge base in culturally complex situations requires significant research because it is from this knowledge base that all subsequent decisions arise. For example, in this case I would question whether or not the government of Quebec bothered to take the time to adequately understand the significance of the kirpan in the Sikh community. Did they dig into the history of the kirpan in Canada, looking for evidence to support the notion that the kirpan represented a legitimate security threat? Did the government consult with the Sikh community to understand their perspective on the kirpan, it’s importance to their daily life, and the consequences of being forced to remove it while in the conduct of their roles as public servants and citizens of Quebec?
Now, was it the ‘right’ decision, in the ‘best interest of the safety and security of the general public’ to ban the kirpan from all proceedings in the legislature? Perhaps, and perhaps not. That is not what I am intending to debate. What I am suggesting is this: Had the government of Quebec taken the time to properly understand the cultural and religious variables present in this situation, through open dialogue with the Sikh community, they would have been in a much better position to maintain relationship with their constituents regardless of the final outcome. As it stands now, Sikhs in Quebec feel alienated, discouraged, and much less inclined to vote for the current administration in the next election.
Cultural Intelligence has a whole host of applications, including politics. Investing time and resource into properly understanding constituents, creating cross cultural relational equity with said constituents, and responding with appropriate policy and legislation are fundamental competencies present in leaders with a high CQ.