Quebec’s government plans to introduce legislation this fall banning prayers in public spaces, a move Muslim groups say unfairly targets their community.
Stephen Brown, CEO of the National Council of Canadian Muslims, called the proposal “absurd,” arguing public prayers are neither new nor dangerous and noting that other communities also gather publicly without facing restrictions. He said the measure is “a political move” aimed at boosting the governing Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) ahead of next year’s provincial election.
The push follows tensions over Muslim prayers held during pro-Palestinian demonstrations, including outside Montreal’s Notre-Dame Basilica. The CAQ expressed concern in December about such gatherings, despite organizers securing permits. “What are we going to start doing in Quebec? Mandating that you get your messaging approved by the government before you’re given a permit to protest?” Brown said in an interview with CTV.
An independent committee recently made 50 recommendations to strengthen secularism in Quebec but stopped short of calling for a provincewide ban, suggesting instead that municipalities decide. Cote-Saint-Luc Mayor Mitchell Brownstein welcomed the government’s stance, saying municipalities should regulate prayers when they disrupt public order.
Political analyst and former NDP leader Tom Mulcair said the move reveals CAQ’s vulnerability, noting Premier Francois Legault is appealing to unease within his base toward the Muslim community. Secularism Minister Jean-François Roberge said he was tasked by the premier to “strengthen secularism” and intends to deliver.
The Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF) also condemned the planned legislation, calling it an assault on constitutionally protected religious freedoms. Litigation Director Christine Van Geyn said the proposal represents government overreach and “hostility to people of faith.” CCF Counsel Josh Dehaas argued Quebec should enforce existing laws against street blockades and noise violations rather than ban all public prayer, warning such a move would punish entire religious communities. The CCF, which has intervened in high-profile disputes over religious freedom, including challenges to Quebec’s Bill 21 and the province’s school prayer ban, said the legislation deserves careful scrutiny.
