With Worldcon coming up in Montreal next year, fans who go there will have to be aware of Quebec’s anti-prayer law. It imposes serious restrictions on religious freedom. Group prayer in public requires government permission. People have had to choose between wearing religious symbols and quitting their jobs. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) has condemned the law as an “attack on freedom of religion, freedom of expression, protest rights, and equality.”

The law is touted as promoting religious neutrality, but it’s no more neutral than a ban on all protests is.

The law has been challenged in Canada’s Supreme Court, so it might not be an issue when the convention comes around.

Some of its provisions will affect just people living and working in the province. I’ll focus here on the impact on visitors.

A lot depends on the word “public.” What is a “public place”? The streets of Montreal are certainly public, but what about the Palais de Congrès, where the convention will take place? What about hotels where fans will stay? Will the convention be able to schedule religious gatherings? This is a question for lawyers, and I hope the con will have some answers for the public. I wrote to the convention’s address for asking questions, and so far I’ve gotten an acknowledgement but no other response. Probably they’re still working on it.

In practice, there’s a good chance only Muslims will be targeted for enforcement. As an atheist, I’m not directly affected by a prayer ban, but laws denying freedom of expression undermine the principle and have a chilling effect on all discourse. In 2025, Montreal slapped a church with a $2,500 fine for hosting a concert by a singer the government didn’t like. I think Sean Feucht is all wet (bonus pun for German speakers!), but that’s not the point. If the city can fine private organizations for hosting singers or speakers based on the ideas they support, it can silence anyone, and events such as fan conventions aren’t safe.