Quebec government to ban prayer in public places

The Quebec government says it is planning to ban prayer in public places as part of a move to strengthen secularism in the province.

Secularism Minister Jean-François Roberge says he will table legislation this fall to outlaw public prayer.

He says the government is uneasy with what he describes as a growing phenomenon of people praying in the streets, especially in Montreal.

Premier François Legault last December stated his desire to ban prayer in the streets and other public places, saying he was considering legislation.

The announcement comes after an independent committee made 50 recommendations to the government earlier this week on how to strengthen secularism.

The committee stopped short of recommending an outright ban on public prayer, saying it should be up to municipalities to regulate the practice.