Quebec Premier Announces a Health Tax on Unvaccinated

LEGAULT We continue to ░░░░░░░░ an increase in hospitalization ░░░░░░░░ Quebec Our biggest challenge ░░░░░░░░ now is finding enough ░░░░░░░░ workers We estimate that ░░░░░░░░ the next weeks we ░░░░░░░░ need a thousand additional ░░░░░░░░ for hospitals and 1 ░░░░░░░░ for CHSLDs We re ░░░░░░░░ closely with union leaders ░░░░░░░░ find solutions For CHSLDs ░░░░░░░░ situation is difficult but ░░░░░░░░ doesn t compare to ░░░░░░░░ we saw during the ░░░░░░░░ wave We have a ░░░░░░░░ more workers and almost ░░░░░░░░ residents now have their ░░░░░░░░ doses The vaccine is ░░░░░░░░ key to fight the ░░░░░░░░ This is why we ░░░░░░░░ looking for a health ░░░░░░░░ for adults who refuse ░░░░░░░░ be vaccinated for nonmedical ░░░░░░░░ Those who refuse to ░░░░░░░░ their first dose in ░░░░░░░░ coming weeks will have ░░░░░░░░ pay a new health ░░░░░░░░ I know the situation ░░░░░░░░ tough but we can ░░░░░░░░ through this together We ░░░░░░░░ to focus our efforts ░░░░░░░░ two things getting the ░░░░░░░░ second and third doses ░░░░░░░░ vaccine and reducing our ░░░░░░░░ especially with older people ░░░░░░░░ I m counting on ░░░░░░░░ all Thank you REPORTER ░░░░░░░░ this unvaccinated tax this ░░░░░░░░ really unprecedented for Quebec ░░░░░░░░ Canada to levy a ░░░░░░░░ care premium on someone ░░░░░░░░ s unvaccinated I mean ░░░░░░░░ know we do similar ░░░░░░░░ with cigarettes they re ░░░░░░░░ People who smoke have ░░░░░░░░ pay more for them ░░░░░░░░ they don t have ░░░░░░░░ pay more for health ░░░░░░░░ How do you expect ░░░░░░░░ roll this out There ░░░░░░░░ going to be a ░░░░░░░░ of legal challenges to ░░░░░░░░ ethical challenges What if ░░░░░░░░ can t afford it ░░░░░░░░ re unvaccinated that s ░░░░░░░░ choice How are you ░░░░░░░░ to manage this This ░░░░░░░░ a big deal LEGAULT ░░░░░░░░ Yes it s a ░░░░░░░░ deal If you look ░░░░░░░░ what s happening in ░░░░░░░░ countries or other states ░░░░░░░░ is trying to find ░░░░░░░░ solution a question of ░░░░░░░░ Because right now these ░░░░░░░░ they put a very ░░░░░░░░ burden on our health ░░░░░░░░ network and I think ░░░░░░░░ s normal that the ░░░░░░░░ of the population is ░░░░░░░░ that there be a ░░░░░░░░ And yes we will ░░░░░░░░ to look at the ░░░░░░░░ the use of the ░░░░░░░░ passport But I think ░░░░░░░░ have to go further ░░░░░░░░ I think that right ░░░░░░░░ it s a question ░░░░░░░░ of fairness for the ░░░░░░░░ percent of the population ░░░░░░░░ made some sacrifices I ░░░░░░░░ we owe them this ░░░░░░░░ of measure.”