I don't think it's bigoted to be suspicious of the niqab. It's a cloak and mask being worn in public, and it comes from conservative Islam - which has a very poor record with regard to the treatment of women.

This is true. Expect I do disagree and believe that the majority of people who are very passionate about this conflict are also the ones who don't wear a niqab, fully understand them, and whose daily lives are not truly affected by someone else wearing a niqab. So why forced someone else to take theirs off? Lots of people will claim safety issues but in order to do this, you would have to claim anyone who has covered a significant portion of their face is a threat to safety. Not just those wearing a niqab. Wearing a large scarf on a cold winter day?

Nope. Can't see your face so you're a threat to my safety. But most people would disagree with this because covering your face is different in the winter than it is all the time. But when someone has their face covered on the winter you still don't conclude that this person presents a threat to your safety, until they do something threatening.

The millions of women in Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia (and elsewhere) who are forced to wear this garment are the ones who are really suffering.

Yes that is so true and it's so wrong. We should allow more immigrants into the country to help them escape this oppression but you'll see lots of people arguing that as well.

I don't see how showing ones face in public in Canada could inflict "complete misery" on someone and it's not because I'm incapable of understanding the nuances of religious convictions

It's not that showing their face would inflict complete misery. It's that taking away their freedom to decide if they want to wear it or not will inflict at least some form of misery.