(Quebec) Prime Minister François Legault abandons the imposition of a tax or a “health contribution” on the non-vaccinated to preserve social peace, while “we see the discontent growing day by day”.
Posted at 8:39
Updated at 3:58 p.m.
Tuesday, on the occasion of the resumption of the work of the National Assembly, François Legault affirmed that the bill on this tax modulated according to income (from a minimum of 100 to 200 $ up to a maximum of 800 $ to $1,000 according to the most recent information) is “ready”, but that it will not be deposited in order to “move Quebec forward in a calm social climate”.
“This announcement”, made on January 11, “came to divide Quebecers”, he acknowledged at a press conference, accompanied by the Minister of Health and Social Services, Christian Dubé, and the national director of public health, the Dr Luc Boileau. The caquiste caucus itself was divided on the issue, which was noted during a closed meeting to prepare for the parliamentary session at the end of last week.
Three or four weeks ago, we obviously wanted to provide incentives for more people to get vaccinated. For three weeks, discontent has been rising in Quebec, and so we have to take that into account.
François Legault, Premier of Quebec
He also observed that the opposition parties have criticized this proposed tax, raising issues of ethics and fairness. “It would have led to a debate that was not necessarily constructive in the National Assembly,” he argued. His chief of staff, Martin Koskinen, however said on social networks on January 11 that “the democratic debate on this question will be fascinating”, adding that every citizen “has rights, but also responsibilities”.
François Legault argued Tuesday that his role as Prime Minister is both to ensure the safety of the population and to “protect social peace”, to “bring Quebecers together”.
“When we see what is happening in our society, and social media, I have a concern to see Quebecers divided,” he said. “The health contribution could have helped to be an incentive for certain people” not vaccinated, but in the “balance” of the advantages and disadvantages, “it is important to protect social peace and social cohesion”.
Legault wants to “reach out to the unvaccinated”
For its part, Public Health had refrained from taking a formal position. The Dr Luc Boileau had refused to issue a recommendation on this measure, while regional directors had expressed criticism. “This is an economic measure, and I prefer not to comment on economic measures. It does not fall within the expertise of Public Health, ”explained the Dr Boileau.
The government argued until now that the imposition of a tax on non-vaccinated was intended not only to encourage them to roll up their sleeves, but to respond to the discontent of vaccinated people.
However, today, for François Legault, “it is time to rebuild the bridges between Quebecers”. He invited everyone to “put a little water in their wine”. To convince the unvaccinated to reach out, he is banking on the gentle method deployed for a few days by the Minister for Health and Social Services, Lionel Carmant. “I want to reach out to the unvaccinated,” he said in an obvious change of tone.
“I understand some people who do not see it in a good light to get vaccinated, to have a product in their body even if the experts are almost unanimous [qu’]there are almost no side effects. Hundreds of millions of doses have been given around the world, and it’s been tested. »
The numbers are very clear: if you are not vaccinated, you are much more likely to end up in hospital and die from COVID.
François Legault, Premier of Quebec
An unvaccinated person in the hospital “takes the place of another patient”; therefore his decision is not strictly “personal”, there is an issue of “solidarity”, added the Prime Minister.
Opponents of health measures promise to “ jamming Quebec this weekend by organizing convoys like those that converged on Ottawa. They have the right to express themselves and to demonstrate, but “it must be done with respect, not with hateful symbols. We hope it will be done with respect, ”reacted François Legault.
Other relaxations
The Prime Minister confirmed the resumption of sports and artistic activities for adults, up to a maximum of 25 people per group, as well as the reopening of gyms and spas, at 50% capacity, on February 14. “We must take a step on that side”, in order to contribute to the “mental health” of Quebecers who are “tanned” by this pandemic, he explained.
“What we hope is to be able to announce other relaxations in the coming weeks, but at the same time, we cannot work miracles. You see like me the situation in our hospitals, we cannot take too many risks. You have to think about the employees [et] to all Quebecers who are waiting for surgery that [a été] postponed. »
He reiterated that an increase in the vaccination rate would “accelerate deconfinement”. It is insufficient that only 61% of adults have received a third dose, he pointed out.
Reactions of opposition parties to the abandonment of the health tax
Vaccine passport should be expanded, Fitzgibbon thinks
PHOTO DAVID BOILY, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of the Economy
The Minister of the Economy, Pierre Fitzgibbon, thinks “we should extend” the use of the vaccine passport to a greater number of businesses in order to encourage vaccination against COVID-19. “The vaccine passport, I think we should expand it. What we want is to find ways to encourage vaccination. The vaccine passport is less coercive in my opinion than a tax on non-vaccinated people,” he said on Tuesday in reaction to the abandonment of the project to impose a health contribution on non-vaccinated Quebecers. According to the Minister, the vaccine passport is “a tool that will probably remain for a long time” and the government could study the possibility of imposing it in “all businesses”.
Hugo Pilon-Larose, The Press
A scrum from the Dr Boileau sows confusion
PHOTO JACQUES BOISSINOT, THE CANADIAN PRESS
The Dr Luc Boileau, Acting National Director of Public Health
The minutes preceding question period were the scene of frenetic press scrums in the National Assembly. One of them created some confusion on Tuesday, when the acting national director of public health, the Dr Luc Boileau, presented himself after his press briefing in the corridor where the parliamentary correspondents are gathered. While being questioned about the booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, the press secretary for the Minister of Health and Social Services, Marjaurie Côté-Boileau – who is also the daughter of Dr.r Boileau – rushed to interrupt her father. She invited him to leave the hallway and return to the Prime Minister’s office. The new national director of public health, who claims to be independent of political cabinets since his appointment, did not listen to this recommendation and answered questions. Normally, M.me Côté-Boileau does not host press briefings and media events involving his father. The Dr Boileau defended himself to reporters for having changed his position on the delay of the third dose for doubly vaccinated people who have contracted COVID-19.
Hugo Pilon-Larose, The Press