Quebec to ban public prayer in sweeping new secularism law

[aussie_aussie_oi_oi]

Quebec says it will intensify its crackdown on public displays of religion in a sweeping new law that critics say pushes Canadian provinces into private spaces and disproportionately affects Muslims.

Bill 9, introduced by the governing Coalition Avenir Québec on Thursday, bans prayer in public institutions, including in colleges and universities. It also bans communal prayer on public roads and in parks, with the threat of fines of C$1,125 for groups in contravention of the prohibition. Short public events with prior approval are exempt.

CAQ has made secularism a key legislative priority, passing the controversial Bill 21 – which bans some public sector employees from wearing religious symbol – in 2019. It plans to extend that prohibition to anyone working in daycares, colleges, universities and private schools. Full face coverings would be banned for anyone in those institutions, including students.

Quebec’s secularism minister, Jean-François Roberge, said the controversial new provisions were the latest steps in a province working towards full secularization. He criticized previous accommodations by post-secondary institutions, including prayer rooms, telling reporters the schools “are not temples or churches or those kinds of places”. The ban on public prayer comes after the group Montreal4Palestine organized Sunday protests outside the city’s Notre-Dame Basilica that included prayers.

In a statement, the Assembly of Quebec Catholic Bishops said the proposed bill would be a “radical infringement on the rights and freedoms of the Quebec population” and that “the government has not demonstrated the need for such legislation”. Bill 21 bars judges, police officers, prison guards and teachers from wearing religious symbols while at work. Other public workers such as bus drivers, doctors and social workers must only keep their faces uncovered.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/ ... law-canada

[Doom]

The impetus for the law is that a group of Muslims was "praying" in front of a cathedral, preventing anyone from entering. It is not a ban on public prayer, it's a ban on blocking access.

[Highlander]

From the OP, it appears clearly to be a ban on prayer as well as a universal ban on the display of religion. Religion as defined by the State. Stalin would have been proud.

A similar ban on various secular belief systems does not seem to have been addressed. So one is banned from anti-abortion opinions which are associated with religion, but one is not banned from pro-abortion opinions which are associated with secular opinions. All in all, it signals the complete triumph of modern Western secularism in the public arena.

[anawim]

I read the same thing that Doom said: It's more for restricting Muslims than religion in general.

[Doom]

From the OP, it appears clearly to be a ban on prayer as well as a universal ban on the display of religion. Religion as defined by the State. Stalin would have been proud.

A similar ban on various secular belief systems does not seem to have been addressed. So one is banned from anti-abortion opinions which are associated with religion, but one is not banned from pro-abortion opinions which are associated with secular opinions. All in all, it signals the complete triumph of modern Western secularism in the public arena.

I'm saying the story is misleading; public prayer is not being banned. The Guardian is not a reliable newspaper; it always distorts and exaggerates stories, it is a tabloid after all, and the British tabloids are worse than the American ones. People can pray in public all they want; what they cannot do is weaponize prayer to block people from being able to access buildings.

[peregrinator]

Doom seems to be more or less correct; you can read the actual bill here: https://www.assnat.qc.ca/en/travaux-par ... -43-2.html