Quebec judge refuses request to have only fully vaccinated jury members

A Quebec Superior Court judge has ruled that, unlike in Ontario, the court cannot require jurors in a criminal trial to be fully vaccinated.

Justice Mario Longpre wrote at the outset of the fraud trial for former City of Montreal consultant Benoit Bissonnette that began Friday that only those suffering a mental disability or illness could be removed from jury consideration.

"The Jury Act applicable in Quebec does not allow the Tribunal to declare prospective jurors disqualified by reason of physical disability, even if it were to conclude that not being properly vaccinated constituted such an incapacity," the ruling reads.

Bissonette was arrested along with former computer department manager Gilles Parent in 2009 for allegedly defrauding the City of Montreal of up to $10 million for city computer contracts.

They were charged with fraud, breach of trust and making false documents.