Montreal Gazette, Philip Authier
February 1, 2022
-Toronto Sun
Quebec Premier François Legault will announce on Tuesday he is abandoning the idea of imposing a controversial “health contribution” — dubbed the “anti-vax tax” — on Quebecers who are unvaccinated for non-medical reasons, La Presse reported on Tuesday.
The report notes that Legault had been poised to table legislation that would see people who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 charged $100 to $800 — presumably in the form of a tax — to compensate for the additional burden they could impose on the province’s already beleaguered health care system.
Criticism and controversy quickly followed Legault’s announcement of the health contribution on Jan. 11, with opposition leaders complaining such a policy would contravene the ideal of free and equally accessible health care for all in Canada and was motivated by political reasons rather than health concerns.
Interim public health director Dr. Luc Boileau has side-stepped questions about the proposed tax, saying he preferred not to comment on “an economic measure” that did not come from health officials.
