Prayer rooms: a political hotspot

Prayer rooms in universities made headlines recently when Quebec introduced a bill to ban their existence. Banning prayer rooms in public universities and banning communal prayers in public spaces are two measures in Quebec’s Bill 9 on Laïcité (Secularism), introduced in November. The bill also extends an earlier ban on religious symbols into daycare settings, including turbans and hijabs, and it includes a three-year phase-out of public funding for private religious schools.

Bill 9 is being justified as a separation of state and religion. Recognizing that this bill infringes on freedom of religion and freedom of expression, it includes the use of the now infamous notwithstanding clause to prevent court challenges under Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Similar to Quebec’s earlier Bill 21, which restricted the wearing of religious symbols by selected public servants, Bill 9 raises serious concerns about the erosion of religious freedom in Canada. It undermines pluralism and diversity in public spaces by promoting a rigid meaning of the term “secular” and the idea that all religious practices should be private. This contradicts the basic teachings of many religions, including Reformed perspectives, and constrains what diverse faith communities can contribute to society. Bill 9 creates another dilemma for Canadians who respect that Quebec is a distinct society but also recognize that this debate has a wider influence in Canada.

Fear of oppressive religion

Faith communities need to understand that public support for these measures in Quebec is partly due to fear, rooted in the complicity of the Roman Catholic church during the oppressive Duplessis regime. When I engage in dialogue with women from Quebec, I often hear stories about priests telling women how to run their lives and to have more children. I understand why they do not want to return to that. Fears of some Islamic practices and fears of U.S.-style Christianity add layers to the public debate. One way to reduce fear is to see alternatives in practice that are not oppressive.

Good practices

Within the Christian Courier community, there is a rich experience of campus ministries that foster space for diverse religious views within public universities and support the spiritual development of all students. They practice healthy respect for pluralism without privatizing or marginalizing religious expression. Sharing prayer rooms among diverse religious groups can be challenging, but also a good practice for accommodating diversity.

There are public universities that recognize that spiritual development and access to religious practices are an integral part of student wellness. The integration of diverse religious practices into student life at public universities across Canada is a good example of pluralism in practice. Highlighting it could show a positive, alternative approach in the current debate.

The importance of spiritual development for young people is an expanding area of research and practice. One cannot fulfill the rights of young people to spiritual development if all aspects of religion are excluded from the public realm. In public policy circles, Indigenous communities also advocate for the integration of spiritual development in health and education for young people.
The difficulties of an absolute ban are evident in some exceptions in the bill itself. Good Friday marches are exempted. Christmas parties will be allowed, but they may not transmit religious values. Enforcement of the bill, if it passes, will lead to legal challenges. It will be important for Canada to see good examples of full-throated respect for religious diversity in practice, as an alternative to banishing all religion from public educational spaces.