On December 12, the French-language TVA Nouvelles published a report alleging that mosque administrators wanted females removed from a construction site near two mosques during Friday prayers.

A detailed investigation from the Quebec Construction Commission, however, found no such evidence of this claim.

Dominique Vien, Quebec’s labour minister confirmed that no such request was made.

Diane Lemieux, who heads the construction commission, told a press conference that “It’s very clear the mosque never made this kind of request.”

In a statement this week, the Ahl-ill Bait Mosque said it has had good relations with the contractor since the beginning of the project.

Moayed Altalibi says the mosque requested parking at lunchtime on Fridays because of prayer activities but never asked for anyone to be excluded from the site.

The statement adds that such reports contribute to the social breakdown between Quebecers of Muslim and non-Muslim faiths.

In Quebec City, Premier Philippe Couillard said a request for women to be barred from construction sites would be unacceptable but he made it clear it was not even sure whether it had even been made.