On the eve of the start of the election campaign, the Quebec parties are planning the health measures they will put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within their troop and the population. Overview of the precautions considered by the political parties during this atypical campaign.
“It would be catastrophic to have a chef who catches COVID and who could not be present at a debate,” said Jérémy Ghio, director of communications for Dominique Anglade. Isolation during the campaign would cause headaches for the political formation. “Five days out of a period of thirty is huge,” he says.
It would be catastrophic to have a chef who catches COVID and who cannot be present at a debate
At the PLQ, wearing a mask “may be in order” on the bus of the chef, according to Jérémy Ghio. The party is also in “discussion” with the Ministry of Health in order to obtain “as many rapid tests as possible” for the campaign team. “Will a test be required every day or not? asks Jeremy Ghio. We are still determining that end. »
Québec solidaire has ruled: the personnel surrounding Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois will undergo a screening test “about every two days and as needed”, indicates Keena Grégoire, director of the electoral tour. Replacements have also been designated in the event of an infection or outbreak within the team. “For our national office in Montreal, we have taken specifically larger premises so that campaign staff can be distanced as much as possible,” he continues.
Public Health Recommendations
The Parti Québécois (PQ), for its part, says it was inspired by the 2021 federal campaign for the layout of its bus, where the leader’s team and the media will coexist. “Passengers will be seated two meters laterally from each other, in the seats near the windows, specifies François Leroux, director of communications. A physical plastic barrier will be installed on the back of the benches. »
The formation of Paul St-Pierre Plamondon claims to have “already expressed [son] wish that the chiefs could participate in the debates in a virtual way if one of them was struggling with the COVID, if his health obviously allows it”.
The Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ), for its part, did not specify To have to the measures provided in his bus. Press secretary Sarah Bigras said in an email that questions were asked about it during the vaccination campaign press conference and that her party had “nothing else to add”. The Dr Luc Boileau recalled on Tuesday the precautions to be taken during the election campaign (physical distance, hand washing and good ventilation of the premises) as well as the importance of vaccination.
The CAQ, led by François Legault, stresses that it will follow the recommendations of Public Health, as it is currently doing. She asks her candidates to wear a mask when in contact with vulnerable people, in private seniors’ residences, for example. The PQ, the PLQ and Québec solidaire are doing the same. “During door-to-door activities, the directive to keep a distance was sent, particularly in the presence of vulnerable people,” adds Sarah Bigras.
Vaccination
The CAQ, the PLQ and Québec solidaire claim that their candidates are all adequately vaccinated. The PQ too, but a candidate is not for “medical reasons”, according to the party.
No question for the Conservative Party of Quebec of Éric Duhaime to force anyone to be vaccinated, reports the head of communications, Véronique Gagnon. “It goes against the very principle of individual freedom that we are defending,” she says. The party assures, however, that it will follow the directives of Public Health during the campaign, “in the campaign bus, in RPA and in public places”, among others.
The parties claim that they will adapt to the health situation. “Assuming that we would evolve in a pandemic context which becomes more difficult, we would be able to modify our calendar accordingly to follow the recommendations”, says Keena Grégoire.
Jérémy Ghio, of the PLQ, nevertheless hopes that it will not be necessary to “go back” and limit the number of people in the rooms. “That would be a big challenge for me,” he said.