Quebec to table bill to tax the unvaccinated amid pushback from opposition parties, doctors
The Legault government said it will table a bill on a controversial tax for the unvaccinated and has vowed to let it be open for debate in the Quebec legislature.
Soon after Premier François Legault announced the unprecedented public health measure on Tuesday, opponents called it a “radical” idea that would cause more harm than good, particularly for vulnerable people, such as those who are homeless.
Speaking to reporters at a news conference on Thursday, the premier said the bill will be introduced in the National Assembly in early February and that “all political parties will be able to vote either for or against and propose adjustments, if necessary.”
He gave very few specifics on the new measure when he announced it on Tuesday, other than to say it would be a “significant” financial penalty and that it would not apply to people with medical exemptions for the COVID-19 vaccine. A fee of $100, he said, would not be good enough.
The intention of what he described as a “healthcare contribution” is not to hurt vulnerable populations, Legault said Thursday.
“What we're saying is those people who choose to not get vaccinated, well, there will be a price to pay … because there is an impact on society as a whole, there's an impact on the costs of our healthcare network.”
- Thousands sign up for 1st dose of COVID-19 vaccine as Quebec threatens to tax the unvaxxed
- Quebec wants to tax the unvaccinated, but is that legal?
The government’s legal advisers are looking at how to define the bill’s exceptions that would apply to, for example, people with mental illnesses.
Some doctors have condemned the government's plans. The idea goes “against the fundamental values of public health,” according to the public health director of the Gaspé region, Dr. Yv Bonnier-Viger, a renowned epidemiologist.
Meanwhile, opposition parties called on the government to abandon its proposal.
Quebec Solidaire health critic Vincent Marissal said the Legault government needed to present its legal and scientific opinions that justify such a decision.
Quebec Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade also denounced the financial penalty, saying the premier has chosen to “divide and divert” with his plan that she said lacked any “public health advice, without any details, without having answered questions.”
Legal experts also called into question the constitutionality of such a proposal. Human rights lawyer Julius Grey said it would almost certainly be in violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but depending on how it’s argued in court, if someone challenges it, it could be a “close call.”
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association also called for the government to abandon its proposal.
"Our Charter recognizes individual autonomy over our bodies and medical decisions. Allowing the government to levy fines on those who do not agree with the government’s recommended medical treatment is a deeply troubling proposition," wrote Cara Zwibel, the association's general counsel, in a statement.
Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan are among the provinces that have said they would not consider a tax on unvaccinated people.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Serial sexual offender linked to unsolved 1970s homicides of four Calgary girls, women
An investigation into unsolved historical homicides from the 1970s has linked the deaths of two girls and two young women in and around Calgary to a now-deceased serial offender.
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
Toronto eliminated from PWHL playoffs
Toronto has been eliminated from the PWHL playoffs.
Information commissioner faces $700K funding shortfall, says system is 'overwhelmed'
Canada's information commissioner says her office is facing a $700,000 funding shortfall that could impact its ability to investigate complaints about government transparency and accountability.
B.C. man 'attacked suddenly' by adult grizzly near Alberta boundary: RCMP
A B.C. man is recovering from multiple injuries after he was "attacked suddenly" by an adult grizzly bear near Elkford Thursday afternoon.
Backlash over NFL player Harrison Butker's commencement speech has reached a new level
The NFL is distancing itself from controversial comments by Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker during a recent commencement address.
Dabney Coleman, actor who specialized in curmudgeons, dies at 92
Dabney Coleman, the mustachioed character actor who specialized in smarmy villains like the chauvinist boss in '9 to 5' and the nasty TV director in 'Tootsie,' has died. He was 92.
Craig Berube named as next head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have named Craig Berube as their new head coach.