Canadian by-elections, 2016 (next event: Quebec provincial byelections [Dec 5])

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Is using a bicycle on the Sabbath forbidden?

Pretty much.

I mean, I guess, you could sit on it, but either picking it up, carrying it or moving it in any other way is, most likely, a no-no.

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This legislation is obviously a big disgrace and I don't understand how issues like these are allowed to be on the ballot anyway, since freedom of religion is a human right and minority rights shouldn't be on the ballot

One issue we fully agree on.

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Usual rule in Quebec is than worship places are in commercial areas/downtowns/important streets/industrial parks.

Well, that is, indeed, a problem for the people who have to walk to their places of worship. Considering that this is Outremont, I have no doubt that this is not, really, anti-semitism - most of those who voted against the synagogues are, probably, Jewish anyway. But this is one area where I strongly disagree with my fellow secular Jews: whatever our personal attitude to religion (whether of the Hassidic, proper Misnaged, or whatever other variety), it is wrong to make its practice more uncomfortable than the faithful themselves make it.

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There are virtually no secular Jews in Outremont.  The Mile End and Outremont were the heart of Jewish Montreal until the 1950s - then the bulk of the pre-war Jewish community moved out. Hasidic Jews moved in and today the Jewish population in Outremont is almost entirely Hasidic.

Outremont is basically: 1) francophone professionals and intellectuals and 2.) Hasidic Jews.  

Well, that only makes it worse.

Basically, as far as the ultra-religious Jews are conserned, a prohibition on synagogues is a prohibition of residence. If synagogues can only be built in commercial areas, that means those people can only live in commercial areas. And, I bet, commercial areas are zoned against residential housing: full circle.

In cases like this governments should have a very high bar to clear before imposing those sorts of regulations.  Unless religious practice is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury it is not the job of any government (including municipal government) to regulate religion. Nor should a government define, where people may or may not pray, gather to express their political views, etc., etc.  I mean, are they going to go around houses in the area to check that 10 male Jews of 13 years of age or above do not gather in one spot? Or would the offense only be committed if, besides gathering and reciting some prayers, they start studying Torah?

Of course, in a world where people get outraged by mosques in Manhattan something like this is, alas, inevitable.

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There are virtually no secular Jews in Outremont.  The Mile End and Outremont were the heart of Jewish Montreal until the 1950s - then the bulk of the pre-war Jewish community moved out. Hasidic Jews moved in and today the Jewish population in Outremont is almost entirely Hasidic.

Outremont is basically: 1) francophone professionals and intellectuals and 2.) Hasidic Jews.  

Well, that only makes it worse.

Basically, as far as the ultra-religious Jews are conserned, a prohibition on synagogues is a prohibition of residence. If synagogues can only be built in commercial areas, that means those people can only live in commercial areas. And, I bet, commercial areas are zoned against residential housing: full circle.

Well, Bernard Avenue is a commercial area (and it makes sense, it's pretty much in the middle of the areas where the Hassidim are living). The Hassidim are not contesting the rule about no worship places in residential areas and quite agree with it. The issue is Outrement borough banning it in the commercial area of Bernard Avenue and asking to put new worship places in the north of the borough,  around Van Horne Avenue (which is the traditional place where most worship places are in Outremont, but isn't where the new generation of Hassidim is living).

Whatever. The non-Hassidic Outremont residents want to get rid of the Hassidim - and this should not be allowed, period.