Fed up with anti-vax protests in front of schools, hospitals, Quebec premier preps special law
CBC
Premier François Legault says he will introduce a special bill to prevent anti-vaccine protests in front of places such as schools and hospitals because his "patience had reached its limit."
"It's important to leave our children and our patients in peace," Legault told a group of reporters at Quebec's National Assembly on Thursday.
"It doesn't make sense that [people] are trying to intimidate our children."
Marwah Rizqy, the Liberal opposition's education critic, had drafted a bill to deter vaccination protests in front of schools, but the premier wants a new law to also apply to clinics, vaccination centres and daycares.
Legault says he will introduce a bill to his caucus on Wednesday afternoon before tabling it in the legislature. He says he hopes other parties will support it so it can be adopted as soon as Thursday.
Earlier on Wednesday, the three main opposition parties said it's unacceptable that protesters are approaching children, inciting them to disobey public health orders and not get vaccinated. They say they are ready to work with the government to adopt the law quickly.
The scope of the soon-to-be-tabled bill remains unclear. There are already provincial laws that prevent people from blocking access to schools, hospitals and clinics.