Quebec Premier François Legault and Secularism Minister Jean-François Roberge have announced plans to introduce legislation banning public prayer, citing growing concerns over secularism and the increasing use of public spaces for Islamist demonstrations. The measure, set for introduction this fall, is framed as a response to the proliferation of mass street prayers, often associated with pro-Hamas and pro-Palestinian protests. Legault has been adamant that public spaces should remain secular, asserting that prayer should be confined to religious institutions such as churches and mosques, not the streets or public areas.
Roberge has described the rise in street prayers as a direct challenge to Quebec’s principles of civic neutrality. He argues that these demonstrations, often conducted en masse and blocking roads or obstructing entrances, have created a climate of unease. Public order, he contends, is at risk when large groups of people gather for what he terms ‘religious demonstrations.’ The rhetoric echoes that of Bill 2, Quebec’s 2019 law prohibiting public-sector workers from wearing religious symbols. That precedent established a clear stance on secularism, and now the province is extending that logic to the streets, with the aim of preserving the neutrality of public life.
However, the proposed ban has sparked immediate backlash from civil liberties organizations and prominent Muslim leaders. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) has condemned the plan, stating that it conflicts with fundamental religious freedoms outlined in Canada’s constitution. Similarly, the Canadian Muslim Forum has criticized the legislation as stigmatizing, arguing that it could alienate religious communities and undermine the principle of free expression. Montreal Archbishop Christian Lépine went further, claiming that banning public prayer would be equivalent to forbidding thought itself, a metaphor that highlights the tension between religious practice and secular governance.
The critics argue that public prayer in this context is not an act of private devotion but a form of political theater. Scholars and community leaders within Muslim circles, such as Raheel Raza and Mohammed Rizwan, have expressed concerns over the politicization of prayer, viewing it as a tool for provocation and division. They advocate for faith to remain a personal matter rather than a mechanism for public coercion. The debate has been further fueled by recent events, including the 2015 Supreme Court ruling that reaffirmed the state’s duty to maintain neutrality in public institutions. As such, Quebec’s proposal is not merely a legal measure but a cultural statement, one that asserts the primacy of secularism in public life.
Skeptics of the legislation warn that the government may seek to shield the law from constitutional challenges by invoking the notwithstanding clause, a move that critics argue could be interpreted as authoritarianism. Yet, proponents of the ban assert that the real threat lies in the Islamists who have come to view public spaces as a stage for ideological confrontation. The proposed law, then, is not just about banning prayer but about defending the integrity of the public square and ensuring that all citizens, regardless of faith, can participate in civic life without the specter of religious coercion.