
Quebec opposition parties say COVID-19 curfew a sign of government's failure
CTV
Quebec's three main opposition parties are criticizing the provincial government's decision to impose a 10 p.m. curfew to control the rapid spread of COVID-19, arguing the health order is a sign of the government's failure to prepare.
If the premier had acted earlier, then there would be less of a need for such strong measures, Opposition Liberal house leader Andre Fortin said in an interview Friday.
"When you see that no other provinces in Canada have this much restrictive measures, that instead they are announcing they are providing better ventilation in schools and accelerated vaccination … but our government choose to be restrictive instead of acting," Fortin said.
Premier Francois Legault announced Thursday he was reimposing a curfew because the province's hospitals risked becoming overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases. The 10 p.m. to 5 p.m. curfew was scheduled to begin on New Year's Eve and run for an indefinite period of time. He also banned indoor private gatherings and forced restaurants to close their dining rooms.
The curfew is Quebec's second of the pandemic. A previous curfew, announced in early January 2021, was in place for nearly five months.