The Canadian province of Quebec plans to impose restrictions on public prayer and limit the exclusive offering of religion-based menus, such as kosher and halal meals, in public institutions.

The latest efforts to strengthen state secularism, dubbed secularism 2.0, are part of a new bill introduced by the governing Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) on Thursday, expanding on a 2019 religious symbols law that has fueled fierce debate throughout the country.

The original law prevents judges, police officers, teachers, and public servants from wearing symbols such as the kippah, turban, or hijab while at work.

Canada's Supreme Court will hear a legal challenge of that law early next year.

Jean-François Roberge, the minister responsible for secularism, told a news conference in French on Thursday that the bill was part of an approach that respected individual as well as collective rights.

The measures proposed in Bill 9 would:

  • extend the ban on wearing religious symbols to staff in subsidised daycares
  • bar collective religious practices like prayer in public spaces, such as parks, without prior authorisation from municipalities
  • prevent students and staff from wearing face coverings in daycare all the way through to post-secondary education

Roberge noted that the limits on public prayer were in reaction to recent protests in the province, where there has been debate over groups praying at pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

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 said.

The decision to strengthen the law has already faced criticism from the opposition Parti Québecois. The National Council of Canadian Muslims also criticized the bill, accusing the CAQ of doubling down on identity politics and division in a desperate attempt to regain the public's trust.

Since Bill 21 was passed six years ago, the issue of secularism has continued to simmer in Quebec. A September survey indicated that 68% of respondents thought secularism was an important value.

Related legislation exists in various countries across the EU, with France having implemented bans on religious symbols in public spaces.