Quebec enforces secularism, bans street prayers, prayer rooms in universities, wearing of religious symbols by educators [View all]

https://www.ctvnews.ca/montreal/article/quebec-passes-law-banning-street-prayers-prayer-rooms-in-universities-cegeps/

Quebec passes law banning street prayers, prayer rooms in universities, CEGEPs


The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) “super-minister” of identity, Jean-François Roberge, has just passed his bill to strengthen secularism.


Municipalities will be able to authorize them, but only under certain criteria. The new law will also ban the wearing of religious symbols by daycare educators. The government is also extending this ban to teachers and staff at private schools.


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However, there will be a grandfather clause for employees hired before Nov. 27, 2025. The full-face veil will be banned in daycare centres, CEGEPs, and universities for both those receiving services and those providing them.

Religious content
The Legault government is also signalling the end of the road for subsidized private religious schools. These schools will have three years to stop selecting students and teachers based on their religious affiliation and to cease teaching religious content during school hours, otherwise they will lose access to public funds.

Religious activities may still take place in these schools, but only outside of school hours. They must also be optional and not funded by the state.

The minister is also putting an end to prayer rooms in CEGEPs and universities.

The Legault government is thus strengthening its Bill 21 on secularism, which prohibits the wearing of religious symbols by government employees in positions of authority, including judges, police officers, and teachers.