A new legal context awaits Christians in Quebec this Good Friday, barely one day after the adoption by the National Assembly of a law likely to restrict their annual processions of the Stations of the Cross.
The Easter weekend tradition may become more difficult to organize in the years to come, now that the province has passed a law banning public prayer.
The Quebec government passed a law Thursday extending the ban on wearing religious symbols in public workplaces to daycare employees, banning prayer rooms in public institutions and public prayer without explicit municipal consent.
The believers become second class citizens
Martin Laliberté, president of the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Quebec, believes that the new law relegates religious people to the rank of second-class citizens.
He noted that street closures and public demonstrations take place all the time, including for sporting and cultural events, as well as demonstrations.
If we do it for religious reasons, we no longer have the right
he said Wednesday during an interview.
The president of the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Quebec and Bishop of Trois-Rivières, Martin Laliberté. (Archive photo)
Photo : Radio-Canada / Martin Chabot
People who are believers in society become second-class citizens who do not have the right, like all other citizens, to be able to experience a demonstration in a public place in the name of their faith.
He added that organizers of the Stations of the Cross procession and other marches have always collaborated with local authorities and respected municipal rules, but have never before had to request express permission to organize their events.
What was a right now becomes a non-right
a souligné M. Laliberté.
The new law, he added, leaves churches at the mercy of municipal councils, which can decide whether or not to grant event permits.
Laliberté said senior Catholic officials fear the new law will go well beyond the impact on ceremonial processions.
He noted that the legislation invokes powers that allow the province to override certain sections of the Charter and protect the secularism law from legal challenges. We go over it, because these charters ensure the right and freedom of religion publicly
a avancé M. Laliberté.
The CAQ government passed its bill on Thursday to strengthen secularism, which notably provides for the ban on “street prayers”.
Photo: The Canadian Press / Graham Hughes
But with the new law, people no longer have this right, he said. There is a complete change
a-t-il précisé.
Mr. Laliberté indicated that the Catholic bishops of Quebec had participated in consultations on the new law, during which they had expressed particular concern regarding the ban on public prayer and the extension of the ban on religious symbols.
He said politicians seemed to be listening, but were not prepared to adopt these changes.
He believes that the new law is unnecessary, because the government already has all the necessary tools to protect secularism.
The Quebec government had not responded to a request for comments at the time of publishing this article.
Questioned Friday on the subject on the show All one morning on ICI Première, the minister responsible for Secularism, Jean-François Roberge, affirmed that if you want to make a procession at Easter or for another religious festival, you must ask permission to block the street
.
There is nothing new about this, he added. What we have just clarified [avec la nouvelle loi]is that the City has the right to say no if there are security issues, if it lasts too long, if it prevents free movement. Ultimately, it is the municipality that can decide.
Exceptionally, this may be authorized by municipalities. We are coming to set guidelines, because we have seen slippages in recent years.
An event that attracts
John Zucchi, national director of Communion and Liberation Canada, organizer of Montreal’s Stations of the Cross procession, said organizers always communicate with police about the event, but have been told in the past that it is not necessary to inform the city.
He said that last year’s event had attracted nearly 1,000 people, who walked in silence behind a person carrying a crucifix to different churches, where chants, readings of the Gospel and poems.
Unlike many religious events, attendance has increased in recent years, and the number of participants has nearly doubled since the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.
I think people are touched by the sobriety of the event, by its simplicity and by the quiet dignity that surrounds it. It’s not supposed to be loud or rowdy. It’s a meditation from start to finish.
Mr. Zucchi says he shares the views of religious leaders who are concerned about the law, but he is not yet concerned about its effect on the march in Montreal. We have only encountered good will on the part of the City, the police services…[…] and we count on this good will in the future
he said.
He also questioned what would be considered a publicly before
. In the case of a silent procession, what constitutes a prayer?
he asked himself.
