(Quebec) Dr. Luc Boileau’s appearance before the parliamentarians responsible for studying the bill aimed at ending the health emergency was stormy to say the least. In clear terms, the acting national director of public health said that the maintenance of certain emergency powers is necessary to avoid loss of life.
Posted at 1:03 p.m.
Updated at 2:02 p.m.
“If we stop all that right now, we’re going to take enormous risks and we’re going to kill people,” said the Dr Luc Boileau, at the very end of his testimony before the health and social services commission studying Bill 28, which aims to end the state of health emergency in Quebec. The acting national director of public health then responded to the member of the Conservative Party of Quebec, Claire Samson.
“You still have to be realistic, I’m fine with that, but if we’re not able to maintain immunity in the population and vaccinate other people, that’s a case that will make us exceptional and step by step. close, ”he added bluntly. The latter found himself on the grill of the deputies of the opposition parties, whose deputies sit on the parliamentary committee.
The questions of Liberal MP Monsef Derraji even gave rise to heated exchanges between the latter and the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé. Visibly irritated by the questions addressed to the Dr Boileau, Mr. Dubé tried to intervene, which is not allowed when a member is talking with a guest. The tone rose and the session was suspended for a few minutes by the president to calm things down.
“Mr. Minister, I have to ask you to shut up,” said Minister Dubé, the president of the commission, CAQ member Luc Provençal.
Mr. Derraji was hot on the heels of the Dr Boileau on the Prime Minister’s remarks. Monday, François Legault, who is triple vaccinated, underlined in a scrum the strong vaccination coverage in Quebec before adding this: “That helps, I experienced it last week. Even if you catch it, it gives you a cold, more or less”.
“Is this a responsible or irresponsible statement? “, launched Mr. Derraji. The Dr Boileau replied: “I will tell you that it is especially true because it is most often like that thanks to vaccination”. The elected liberal then sought to know if the Dr Boileau saw there a contradiction between the powers requested and the seriousness of the disease. “You say it’s the reality, it’s a cold and you are asking for exceptional measures today, don’t you see a contradiction there? asked Mr. Derraji.
“Mixing of genres”, deplores QS
The deputy of Quebec solidaire, Vincent Marissal, for his part expressed “his little discomfort” in front of the presence in committee of the national director of public health by interim, who is also deputy minister. “It seems to me that we are in the middle of mixing genres. Usually, here, we hear witnesses, there you act here, it seems to me, as a promoter of this bill there, ”asked the deputy.
Vincent Marissal even asked the Dr Boileau if he felt “instrumentalised by politics”. The Dr Boileau defended his independence and clarified his role in the development of the legislative text.
“My role was to say: if we remove the levers at our disposal, we take risks and then to try to calibrate these risks in relation to that”, explained the Dr Boileau.
“What matters to me is that we can maintain these activities. And if there’s a way to maintain them differently, so much the better, and I don’t see any. I have been in the health and social services system for 40 years, I have had the opportunity to look at it from different angles and the way to maintain the mobilization required at this time, find it, ”a- he replied to the member for Quebec solidaire.
The Dr Boileau argued in favor of Bill 28 which keeps five ministerial orders in force until December 31, 2022, despite the end of the health emergency. These decrees, which were tabled as amendments last week, would in particular make it possible to maintain employment of temporary employees hired via the platform. I contribute.
We also allow the maintenance of the special authorization to exercise for retirees and students who come to lend a hand to the network, the decrees governing labor agencies and the wearing of masks in public places and transport. in common. Orders to allow more professionals to vaccinate and perform screening would also remain.
According to Minister Dubé, these provisions give the network the flexibility it needs to continue vaccination and screening activities in the event of a new wave in the fall.