Muslim conference cancelled by convention centre, citing security reasons

MONTREAL – A Muslim youth conference in Montreal has been cancelled after the convention centre where it was supposed to be held cited security concerns.

Montreal’s Palais des congres, the city’s largest convention centre, says in a statement it won’t hold the meeting scheduled for Sept. 7 and 8.

The Parti Quebecois government had earlier asked Ottawa to block fundamentalist preachers from Europe from speaking at the conference.

The PQ says it’s against the sexism of some conference participants who have reportedly said that not wearing the veil is worse than cancer.

It had called on the federal government to refuse the speakers entry to the country.

The move comes as Quebec is embroiled in a debate over the accommodation of religious minorities.

The PQ wants to introduce a new “Quebec Charter of Values” this fall.