Anti-Islamic Measure in Canada: Ban on Public Prayer in Quebec

According to international reports, the bill was presented on Thursday by the ruling Coalition Avenir Québec. It prohibits prayer in government institutions, including colleges and universities, and bans group prayers in public roads and parks. Violations of the ban could result in fines of 1,125 Canadian dollars.
Quebec has made secularism a legislative priority. In 2019, it passed the controversial Bill 21, which prohibits certain public-sector employees from wearing religious symbols. The party now intends to extend these restrictions to anyone working in daycare centers, colleges, universities, and private schools. Full-face coverings will also be banned for anyone in these institutions, including students.
Jean-François Roberge, Quebec’s Minister of Secularism, criticized the presence of prayer rooms in higher education institutions, telling reporters that schools are not temples or churches.
The ban on public prayer follows a protest organized by the group “Montreal for Palestine” outside the city’s Notre-Dame Basilica last Sunday, where prayer was part of the program.
The province also plans to restrict the provision of halal food in government institutions.
Stephen Brown, President of the National Council of Canadian Muslims, condemned the measure as political opportunism, reflecting an escalation of divisive identity politics in a desperate attempt to gain public support.
The Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Quebec also issued a statement, calling the proposed bill an extreme violation of the rights and freedoms of Quebec’s population.