The Quebec provincial government has proposed a new law banning prayer and face coverings in public institutions, sparking concern from religious and civil rights groups across Canada.
The bill, introduced by the province's ruling Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) party, would prohibit prayer in public spaces such as universities, colleges, roads, and parks, The Guardian reported on Friday.
Groups violating the rule could face fines of about $820.
Exceptions would be made for brief public events with prior authorisation.
The legislation also aims to extend a ban on religious symbols, enacted under a 2019 law, to daycare centres, private schools, and institutions of higher education.
Additionally, full-face coverings would be prohibited for all individuals in those facilities, including students.
Restricting the offering of halal and kosher meals in public institutions, Jean-Francois Roberge, Quebec’s secularism minister, defended the measures, stating that public institutions “are not temples or churches.”
‘Radical infringement’
The bill also seeks to restrict the offering of halal and kosher meals, made in line with Muslim and Jewish rules, respectively, in public institutions.
However, critics argue the bill disproportionately affects Muslim communities.
“It’s as if we’re not welcome here,” said Ines Rarrbo, a student.
Stephen Brown, president of the National Council of Canadian Muslims, called the move “political opportunism”.
The Assembly of Quebec Catholic Bishops warned the bill would be a “radical infringement” on freedoms and questioned the necessity of such measures.
The bill invokes Canada’s “notwithstanding clause”, shielding it from constitutional challenges under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
