Category: Quebec

Quebec Man’s Visitation Rights With Child Suspended by Judge Due to Not Being Vaccinated

A Quebec man has lost his child visitation rights after a Superior Court judge issued a temporary suspension on the grounds that he is not vaccinated and appears to oppose the province’s COVD-19 public health measures. “It would normally be in the best interest of the child to have contact with his father, but it…


Alberta Won’t Tax the Unvaccinated: Kenney

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said the province will not follow Quebec’s footsteps in imposing a financial penalty on residents who did not receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Kenney said it is unfair to make the unvaccinated pay extra even if data shows they put a greater burden on the health care system compared to the vaccinated population. “If we…


Quebec’s Tax on the Unvaccinated: Experts Weigh In on Possible Legal Challenges

A tax on the unvaccinated, as planned in Quebec, would be a violation of the charter, say some legal experts, while others say it’s not certain whether the courts would rule against the tax given the trend of rulings in recent challenges against pandemic policies. On Jan. 11, Quebec Premier Francois Legault announced his intention to…


Trudeau Says He Wants More Details Before Commenting On Quebec’s Proposed Tax on Unvaccinated

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberal health minister were pressed repeatedly on Jan. 12 to state their position on Quebec’s proposal to tax the unvaccinated, but neither would commit, saying instead that more details are needed on the measure before they can comment. “Obviously, like people across the country, we’ve received that proposal with…


Canadian Province to Impose ‘Significant’ Fines on Unvaccinated Residents

The Canadian province of Quebec is set to fine unvaccinated residents who do not have a medical exemption from receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, the premier of the French-speaking province announced on Tuesday. Premier Francois Legault said adult residents who do not qualify for medical exemptions will be charged a financial penalty, adding he believes that…


Unvaxxed Tax: Quebec Announces ‘Significant’ Financial Penalty on the Unvaccinated

Quebec has announced that the unvaccinated will have to pay an extra “health contribution,” making it the first jurisdiction in Canada to impose a financial penalty on those who refuse the shot. Premier François Legault made the announcement at a press conference on Tuesday, a day after receiving the resignation of Horacio Arruda, the province’s…


Extreme Cold Warning Issued for Parts of Ontario, Quebec

After several provinces underwent chilly overnight temperatures on Jan. 10, extreme cold warnings affecting parts of Ontario and Quebec continued to be in effect on Jan. 11. The extreme cold alerts, issued by Environment Canada, affect parts of northern Ontario, northern and southern Quebec, as well as New Brunswick and Labrador. On the morning of…


Quebec Public Health Director Resigns, Cities Erosion of Public Opinion Over Measures

MONTREAL—Quebec’s director of public health, Dr. Horacio Arruda, tendered his resignation on Monday, citing an erosion in public trust as the province grapples with record hospitalizations during a fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Premier Francois Legault accepted the offer, with Arruda’s departure confirmed to The Canadian Press by the premier’s office. His resignation comes…


Inquest Into Quebec Long Term Care Deaths During Pandemic’s First Wave to Resume

MONTREAL—A Quebec coroner’s inquest into deaths in long-term care homes during the pandemic’s first wave enters its final stage today, resuming after a month-long pause. Almost 4,000 people died in the homes, known in Quebec as CHSLDs, between February and June 2020, accounting for nearly 70 percent of the deaths reported in the province during…


Airlines Won’t Fly Home Quebec Passengers From Sunwing Party Flight to Mexico

MONTREAL—Passengers who filmed themselves partying maskless aboard a chartered Sunwing Airlines flight from Montreal to Mexico last week have become pariahs and now face being stranded after two more airlines announced Wednesday they will not fly them home to Canada. Following Sunwing’s cancellation of the return charter flight from Cancun scheduled for Wednesday, Air Transat…