As the Quebec National Assembly reconvenes for a new session Tuesday, the last before the provincial election in the fall, Premier François Legault is facing more and more criticism of the current health measures.
The trucker convoy and protests in Ottawa over the weekend also demonstrated how vocal opposition to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions has gotten.
“It’s time to end the state of emergency. It’s time to move on. It’s time to give us back our freedom,” said Éric Duhaime, the leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec.
The emerging party still remains marginal, but its leader says it continues to gain support and has increased its membership from 500 people to 49,000.
“I think that we could be the party that is going to have all those people who are opposed to what happened in Quebec over the last two years and that’s why we’re trying to reach out to them,” Duhaime said.
Legault reiterated that his government is proceeding slowly with reopening plans in order to protect a fragile health-care system.
“We’re still missing 10,000 people. We have 40 per cent of our employees on a part-time basis,” he said.
Debate will likely be heated. The leader of the Liberal Party is concerned it could also get divisive.
“I don’t like seeing people who are taking those extreme positions, to tell you the truth,” said Dominique Anglade.
She said she’s also concerned about the government’s proposal to bring in a special tax on the unvaccinated.
“I think we are going on a very dangerous slope by what is being brought forward by the CAQ,” she said.
Nine months out from the next provincial election, the parties are drawing their battle lines. It will serve as food for thought for Quebecers as they weigh their options on the different pandemic positions.