Quebec to table bill Thursday against anti-vax protests, but one MNA may nix quick passage
THE LATEST ON THIS STORY: Anti-vaxxers in Quebec could be fined for protesting near schools, hospitals
Quebec Premier François Legault says he plans to table a bill Thursday to slap anti-vaccine protesters in front of schools and hospital with stiff fines, saying he's "fed up."
But the bill's fate is unclear after a single MNA said she remains unsure.
All major parties support the proposed bill, but now-Conservative MNA Claire Samson, who crossed the floor from the CAQ a few months ago, may stall its passage for days or even weeks, saying she's concerned about how it limits protesters' rights.
On Wednesday, the province's three main opposition parties -- the Liberals, Parti Québécois and Québec Solidaire -- all argued it is unacceptable for demonstrators to aggressively approach children to try to dissuade them from respecting health measures.
They say they are ready to work with the Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) government to urgently adopt an exceptional measure, be it a special law, decree or an application for an injunction.
Since the start of the school year, there have been five demonstrations around elementary and secondary schools in Montreal, with protesters seen shouting and filming children.
Earlier this week, Legault said his government is evaluating all its options and will come up with a measure to curb the anti-vaccine protests.
The measure to be proposed could resemble a previous law that, since 2016, has banned demonstrations within 50 meters of abortion clinics, he said.
That law requires protesters to stay that distance away and not to interfere with another person's health decisions or face fines of up to $1,250.
Another existing law bans restricting access to schools and comes with fines up to $10,000.
SINGLE CONSERVATIVE MNA NOT CONVINCED
However, the bill's passage may not be as simple as it seemed on Wednesday morning. The CAQ said it plans to both present and pass the bill on Thursday, but it would need unanimous support to move that fast.
While the three main opposition parties said they will vote in favour, the Quebec Conservative Party may not, which would stall it.
Conservative Party leader Éric Duhaime isn't an elected member of the National Assembly and therefore cannot vote. But he wrote about his opposition to the bill on his social media pages, saying it restricts the right to protest.
His party does have one sitting MNA: Samson, who represents Iberville and was kicked out of the CAQ caucus earlier this year for donating $100 to the Conservatives.
She then joined the rival party, becoming its first-ever MNA.
Samson said Wednesday that she agrees something needs to be done about the anti-vaccine protests, but that she worries it could inadvertendly restrict other demonstrations, such as nurses' unions' actions.
"You should have a right to express your opinion, and that's why I say... nobody here has read the law... what is it going to say?" Samson said.
"That they can only come protest here at the National Assembly?"
Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette said that if Samson decides to vote against the bill, she'll have to answer to Quebecers.
OTHER LEADERS POST SUPPORT ONLINE
On Thursday, some other political leaders posted messages of support for the bill and explained their reasoning, including Liberal leader Dominique Anglade, who said children need to be "left in peace."
Québec Solidaire parliamentary leader Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois wrote on Twitter that "Seeing conspirators attacking children is intolerable" and that temporary measures are needed.
"Anti-vaxxers have the right to exist, to express themselves and even to demonstrate," he wrote. "But to protect children and teachers, society has the right to ask them to demonstrate across the street."
--With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Rainfall warnings of up to 80 mm among weather alerts in effect for 6 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres and other alerts have been issued for six Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Calgary police shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers dealt with a distraught individual. The incident lasted almost 20 hours.