NCCM and CCLA Statement on Quebec Superior Court Decision on Prayer Ban

MONTREAL — This morning, the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) received a Quebec Superior Court decision on our request for an emergency injunction to stop the prayer ban in Quebec public schools.

While the judge noted that the prayer ban represents a clear violation of rights, our request for an emergency injunction was not granted. We will be reviewing the decision and will provide an update soon on our next steps.

“While this is not the decision we had hoped for, we will not stop until our children’s constitutional rights are protected,” said Stephen Brown, CEO of NCCM. “Our legal team is reviewing the judge’s decision and we will decide on our next steps soon.”

“Despite this disappointing outcome, the court indicated that the prohibition on visible prayers in schools results in irreparable harm to religious students in Quebec,” says Harini Sivalingam, Director of Equality Programs at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.  “We will continue to stand up for the rights and freedoms of Quebec students.”

The NCCM is an independent, non-partisan and non-profit organization that is a leading voice for civic engagement and the promotion of human rights. 

The CCLA is an independent, non-profit organization with supporters from across the country. Founded in 1964, the CCLA is a national human rights organization committed to defending the rights, dignity, safety, and freedoms of all people in Canada.

BILINGUAL MEDIA CONTACTS: 
Alexandre Nanoff, CCLA Media Relations
media@ccla.org
613.709.6318

Stephen Brown, Chief Executive Officer, NCCM
514.808.3729
sbrown@nccm.ca