Quebec chooses quiet, reflective day to mark 2nd anniversary of COVID-19 pandemic

Unlike last year, the Legault government will not hold a ceremony to honour the memory of Quebecers who've succumbed to the disease since 2020.

On the second anniversary of the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec, Premier François Legault says the government did what it could to save as many lives as possible.

“This day is dedicated to their memory and to their loved ones who continue to suffer from their absence,” Legault wrote in an open letter published in various media on Friday to mark the national day of remembrance for the victims of COVID-19.

“It is for them that Quebecers will remember on March 11.”

Unlike last year, the Legault government will not hold a ceremony to honour the memory of Quebecers who’ve succumbed to the disease since 2020. As of Thursday, 14,141 residents have died as a result of the novel coronavirus.

Last year’s inaugural event brought together several dignitaries and representatives of bereaved families as part of an elaborate ceremony. This year, the government will lower the Quebec flag at half-mast at the national assembly and at other provincial offices to mark the day.

Quebec has been the hardest hit of any province in the country by COVID-19, accounting for 38 per cent of all deaths despite having less than a quarter of Canada’s population.

The government decided on a simple day “out of respect for the families and loved ones of the victims.” Legault has not planned any public events on Friday.

In his open letter, Legault wrote that he will remember those initial weeks, the daily press briefings announcing restrictions and the “long days and nights spent wondering if we were making the right decisions.”