Quebec premier will wait until next week before giving recommendations on Christmas gatherings
Premier Francois Legault says he’s not making public health recommendations about Christmas gatherings just yet.
At a news conference on Tuesday, Legault said he will await recommendations due next week from director of public health Dr. Horacio Arruda before making any announcements about how many people Quebecers will be allowed to celebrate the season with this year.
The Tuesday conference was primarily to discuss how the province plans to mitigate the labour shortage. Legault used the occasion to clarify a statement he’d made Monday regarding a possible easing of restrictions on gatherings over the holiday period.
“What I said yesterday is I hope personally we can increase the amount, the number of people in houses from 10 to 20 (or) 25," he said.
"I hope so. But we'll have recommendations from Dr. Arruda next week, so I will follow the recommendations of Dr. Arruda."
Quebec officials had recently shown some optimism about family and friends getting together for the holidays now that children under 12 are eligible to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations. But concerns about the new Omicron variant, as well as an increase in cases in Quebec in recent days, may have dashed those hopes.
Quebec reported 784 new cases on Tuesday, down from highs late last week not seen in months, with 1,037 new cases reported on Nov. 26 and 1,171 the following day.
The first case of the Omicron variant was reported in Quebec on Monday.
Legault said he would also make recommendations about travel restrictions following the advice of public health.
“I like it very much when Quebecers stay in Quebec. My first choice is to see Quebecers staying here visiting the regions like Charlevoix," he said.
"It's a decision coming from public health and I will follow the recommendation of public health."
In the meantime, Montreal public health officials are set to hold a news conference Wednesday with an update on COVID-19 in the city.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.