Quebec's Bill 9, a sweeping secularism law passed in April 2026, will from September bar Muslim students at CEGEPs (Quebec's network of publicly funded pre-university colleges) from designated prayer spaces, restrict funding to faith-based independent schools, and require municipal permits for outdoor group prayer. Supporters, including French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge, argue the law upholds the religious neutrality of the state by applying uniform rules to all citizens. Critics — including the Archbishop of Montreal and Jewish, Sikh, Muslim, and Christian communities — counter that the law conflates religious symbols with binding religious duties, and that the province's pre-emptive use of Canada's notwithstanding clause, which allows governments to override certain constitutional rights, effectively shields the legislation from federal charter challenges.