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Petition calling on Quebec health minister to lead healthier lifestyle to be taken down

Gaetan Barrette is pictured in Quebec City, August 12, 2012.
Gaetan Barrette is pictured in Quebec City, August 12, 2012. Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press

MONTREAL – As of 5 p.m. Thursday, the petition calling on Quebec’s newly appointed health minister to lead a more healthy lifestyle will be taken down.

It had garnered nearly 10,000 signatures by late afternoon.

The health minister, Gaetan Barette, had responded to the petition, describing it as “bullying.”

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READ MOREPetition asking Quebec’s health minister to consider a lifestyle change gets thousands of signatures

The decision was made by blogger and marketing director Pierre-Etienne Vachon, who had started the petition in the hopes that it would start a public discussion around healthy lifestyles.

He said that he felt compelled to do so after it had stirred up so much negative attention.

“I find it deplorable that people are interpreting my initiative as a personal attack against Minister Barrette,” Vachon said.

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“I would like to apologize to anyone who may have felt offended by my words or my approach. Be assured that my intentions were only positive and caring.”

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