Given the significant strain on Quebec’s health care system due to the coronavirus pandemic, and with a high proportion of unvaccinated filling up the beds, Premier Legault has recently announced a new “health contribution” meant to be paid by people who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine for non-medical reasons.
Supported by some and seen by others as “a violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms”, “pretty aggressive,” and “a way of trying to force vaccination,” no one really knows at this point what the results of the associated legal issues will be.
However, an EKOS Research survey shows that over 60% of Canadians are losing patience with the unvaccinated and tend to favor measures targeting them.
Other jurisdictions, such as Austria and Singapore, are also set to take more radical measures by fining the unvaccinated and making them pay the bill for COVID-19 medical care.
At this stage, all that is known concerning the proposed tax in Quebec is that there will likely be a significant penalty for those that remain unvaccinated and an exemption for medically justified cases. What is certain is that this controversial topic is complicated and may end up dividing legal experts not just in Canada but around the world.
