QUEBEC CITY, QUE. -- Quebec politicians on Wednesday called for calm following reports of racism and intolerance resulting from the global outbreak of coronavirus.
Premier Francois Legault said "people of Asian origin are no more at risk (of coronavirus) than other people" and that "there is no need to worry about Asian communities," noting also that follow-ups are being done with those who have visited areas of China where the virus is proliferating.
Legault added that "it is part of our shared responsibility to explain to Quebecers that there is no more risk with Asian people than with others."
The interim leader of the Parti Québécois, Pascal Bérubé, said such racist or intolerant acts are "unacceptable ... That means that it exists, this fear and this ignorance, and it must be combated by education." He also asked Quebecers to "trust the information of the competent authorities on this issue."
Bérubé then demanded that Minister of Foreign Affairs Philippe-François Champagne "bring (Quebec) people (in China) back to Quebec" and that Minister of Health Danielle McCann "be able to ensure that all of our hospitals, our entire health network, is capable of acting coronavirus spreads to Quebec. (So far no cases have been diagnosed in Quebec).
Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, the co-spokesperson of Québec solidaire, said that "the responsibility of the political class is to remember that we must listen to public health experts, and what public health experts tell us is that for the moment there is no serious danger in Quebec, there is no reason to panic."
Longueuil police, alongside the Riverside and Marie-Victorin school boards, sent out a letter to parents this week warning against racism and bullying of the asian community fuelled by coronavirus fears.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 5, 2020.
With files from Amanda Kline.
