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.
