The Canadian province of Quebec is planning to ban all public prayer as part of an aggressive push toward secularization.
Quebec’s secularism minister, Jean-François Roberge, said the laws were designed to accelerate his push toward secularization.
The Guardian reports:
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 laws were designed to accelerate his push toward secularization.
“It’s shocking to see people blocking traffic, taking possession of the public space without a permit, without warning, and then turning our streets, our parks, our public squares into places of worship,” he explained.
He added that schools are “are not temples or churches or those kinds of places.”
MAJOR BREAKING ..QUEBEC GOES ALL-IN
Quebec is moving to BAN halal & kosher menus, prayer rooms, and face coverings in all public institutions.
It also expands the ban on public prayers.
Love it or hate it — Quebec is doing what no other province will: drawing a hard… pic.twitter.com/dzSaZDZxhj
— wealthmoose (@wealthmoose) November 26, 2025
However, it has drawn a fierce backlash from Muslim activists, who last week organized protests outside the city’s Notre-Dame Basilica.
NOW: Montréal4Palestine has once again blocked the street near Joliette metro for an Islamic prayer.
Some are trying to block recordings.
Police stood by, even as Quebec’s government says it wants to ban these highly controversial gatherings. pic.twitter.com/c8MxHnvdnX
— Alexandra Lavoie (@ThevoiceAlexa) August 31, 2025
While it is mainly Muslims who are furious about the proposals, some Christian groups are also pushing back on the grounds it fringes their rights to religious freedom.
Quebeckers are standing up to protect their churches.
And they’re growing in numbers. Fast.
The Quebec government is also preparing to ban street prayer.
The rest of Canada and the world…
YOUR TURN. pic.twitter.com/9aSE3QzTd2
— dahlia kurtz
︎ דליה קורץ (@DahliaKurtz) August 28, 2025
Despite officially being a constitutional monarchy of Great Britain, Canada has no official religion.
The Canadian constitution guarantees freedom of conscience and religion, and the state is formally secular.
According to the 2021 census, Christians represent 53.3 percent of the overall population, while just under five percent identify as Muslim.
The post Canadian Muslims Take to Streets in Anger After Quebec Pushes Forward With Ban on Public Prayer appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.