After more than three months of absence for health reasons, the minister responsible for seniors and close caregivers, Marguerite Blais, will officially return to her post this week.
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It was Prime Minister François Legault who made the announcement on Tuesday at the Salon Bleu. “I am happy, too, the Minister of Seniors has returned”, launched the chief caquiste, answering a question from the parliamentary leader of the Parti québécois, Joël Arseneau, concerning the sanitary rules in residences for seniors.
Verification made, Ms. Blais will indeed be back in the office on Wednesday, confirmed her press secretary, Lyann St-Hilaire.
François Legault has also indicated that the minister will announce new flexibility.
“I think that even in the CHSLDs, it is time that we learn to live with the virus and that we take the measures to provide all the services to the patients”, let the Prime Minister hover.
Marguerite Blais, 71, had been forced to cease her ministerial activities on October 29, due to “minor physical health problems and professional exhaustion”, had then specified the Prime Minister’s Office.
Ms. Blais had returned to work a month earlier, after a few weeks of forced stoppage during the summer.
Since then, the Minister of Health and Social Services, Christian Dubé, has been responsible for his files.
Ms. Blais was still out of her sick leave last month to testify as part of the coroner Géhane Kamel’s inquest into the deaths that occurred in CHSLDs during the first wave of the pandemic.