Quebec’s deputy premier is among a handful of politicians in the province who are isolating due to COVID-19.
Geneviève Guilbault took to social media Wednesday to confirm she had contracted the disease after taking care of her young daughter, who tested positive for the virus over the weekend. She had previously announced she would be working remotely.
“I have cared for her since and had symptoms on Monday, confirmed by a positive test yesterday,” she wrote. “I will therefore remain isolated until Saturday in line with public health guidelines.”
Guilbault, who is also the province’s public security minister, is the latest among those who work in François Legault‘s cabinet be sidelined with COVID-19.
Last week, Legault announced he would be staying home for at least five days. A screening test came back positive last Thursday, but Legault said he was doing well.
Transport Minister François Bonnardel has also contracted the disease and has been in insolation since the weekend. At the time, he described his symptoms as mild.
Another member of Legault’s cabinet was briefly at home at this week. Seniors Minister Marguerite Blais was absent from a news conference Tuesday morning about an overhaul of the province’s health-care system while she awaited results from her PCR test. She returned to the National Assembly later that afternoon.
Aside from senior ministers in the provincial government, other Coalition Avenir Québec MNAs are also home. Lise Lavallée confirmed on social media last Sunday that she was sick while Mario Asselin tweeted Wednesday that he had mild symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19.
CAQ MNAs Stéphanie Lachance and Sébastien Schneeberger are also out with the virus.
Other parties weren’t spared this week. Quebec Liberal MNA Christine St-Pierre announced Sunday she had COVID-19 after waking up with a sore throat, while Québec solidaire MNA Émilise Lessard-Therrien has also contracted the disease.
‘Definitely affecting’ work at legislature
The leader of the Quebec Liberal Party is worried about the spread of the virus at the provincial legislature.
Dominique Anglade said absences have complicated in-person parliamentary work as the end of session looms. She described it as a “jam” that will “have an impact on our ability to pass a number of bills.”
“It’s definitely affecting the work at the National Assembly because people cannot show up, because people on our team are impacted by that as well,” Anglade told reporters Wednesday.
Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, co-spokesperson for Québec solidaire, was concerned about the growing number of confirmed COVID-19 infections at the legislature and the in the province.
“I think a lot of Quebecers, right now, are worried about the number of cases going up,” he said. “I am, too, a little bit worried.
“I don’t like to see that, here, in the National Assembly.”
The new dad added he doesn’t want to bring the virus back home “so, of course, I’m a little bit worried.”
— with files from Global News’ Gloria Henriquez and The Canadian Press
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