(Quebec) The Legault government once again tightens the screws on unvaccinated Quebecers and announces that they will have to pay a “health contribution”, the amount of which will be “significant”. The Prime Minister also expressed heartfelt thanks to the National Director of Public Health, Dr.r Horacio Arruda, who resigned on Monday.
Posted at 12:55
Updated at 2:15 p.m.
Unvaccinated Quebecers (whose vaccination status is not linked to a health condition) will soon have to pay a “health contribution” for “the burden” they place on the health network, the Prime Minister announced on Tuesday. , François Legault. “I understand and I feel the discontent of Quebecers towards this minority [de non-vaccinés] which comes, all things considered, to clog our hospitals, ”he said.
“I also understand that it is very shocking because it places a really very important burden on our health network”, continued the Prime Minister during a press conference in Montreal. The amount of this contribution and the terms of payment have not yet been determined. Still, this amount will be “significant”, warned Mr. Legault. “For me, $ 50 or $ 100 is not significant,” he added.
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, THE PRESS
Prime Minister François Legault
Discussions are taking place with the Minister of Finance, Eric Girard, to deploy this new measure, said Mr. Legault. The legal aspect is also examined. The Legault government explains that the unvaccinated “will have a bill to pay” because their choice has “consequences” in the public network. “It’s not up to all Quebecers to pay for that,” he said.
According to the government, approximately 10% of the population is still not vaccinated while the unvaccinated represent “more than 50%” of hospitalizations in Quebec. Quebec authorities announced last week that the vaccination passport will be extended to include the SAQ and SQDC.
François Legault has confirmed that it is the President and CEO of the National Institute of Excellence in Health and Social Services (INESSS), Luc Boileau, who will succeed the National Director of Public Health, Dr.r Horacio Arruda, who announced his resignation on Monday. Mr. Boileau, who will assume the interim, was alongside the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, Tuesday.
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, THE PRESS
The new national director of public health, Luc Boileau, François Legault and the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé.
The Dr Arruda “gave all he could”
“I want to start by thanking the Dr Arruda ”, first mentioned Mr. Legault. “He gave everything he could for 22 months […] I spent a lot of time with him, I spoke to him alone on the phone [lundi], we remembered the first few months which were obviously very stressful, but we managed to get through it and make the decisions that were, in our opinion, the best […] It brings people together ”.
Sans préciser son rôle, M. Legault a indiqué que le Dr Arruda demeurera au sein du ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux. Il s’accorde pour l’heure quelques semaines de repos.
Alors que plusieurs analystes et chroniqueurs réclamaient le départ du Dr Arruda, le premier ministre – qui lui avait réitéré sa pleine confiance le 30 décembre – a admis mardi que d’apporter un nouveau visage à la tête de la Santé publique après 22 mois de pandémie comporte certains « avantages ». Il rejette l’idée que le Dr Arruda serve en quelque sorte de bouc émissaire pour les erreurs liées à la gestion de la pandémie.
Le Dr Luc Boileau était auparavant PDG de l’Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ), de 2008 à 2015, avant de prendre la direction de l’INESSS. Il a aussi été le patron de l’Agence régionale de la santé de la Montérégie (2002-2008). Le principal intéressé a usé de prudence lorsqu’il a été appelé à expliquer ses positions sur le port du masque N95 ou la vaccination obligatoire.
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, LA PRESSE
Le Dr Luc Boileau
« Je n’ai pas eu l’opportunité de faire le point complet sur la situation actuelle », a-t-il indiqué, alors qu’il a été nommé officiellement mardi matin. Il doit cependant trancher d’ici les prochaines heures sur le retour en présence ou non des élèves le 18 janvier. « Je veux continuer de viser lundi prochain [pour la rentrée] “, Argued for his part the Prime Minister.
The Dr Horacio Arruda presented his resignation letter to the prime minister on Monday. He is leaving his post after 22 months of a pandemic while Quebec is facing many criticisms of the management of the fifth wave. In his letter, he writes that “the recent comments made on the credibility of our opinions and on our scientific rigor are undoubtedly causing a certain erosion of the support of the population”.
“In such a context, I consider it appropriate to offer you the possibility of replacing me before the end of my mandate, at least as DNSP”, continues the Dr Arruda in his missive.