End of Health Emergency: Quebec will abide by the Five Commandments

Minister Christian Dupe on Thursday filed an amendment to keep only five orders linked to the epidemic after the health emergency was lifted.

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Thus, the Legault government has accumulated extraordinary powers that it wants to hold until the end of the year in five categories. The Minister of Health thereby responds to the main criticism made to his Bill 28, the use of which was considered very vague.

Five Orders Concerned:

• Population activities
• Human resources
• Functional activities
• Vaccination and screening
• Department of Education (extended till June 30)

However, even though Quebec has collected the powers that should be in the five documents, they still add many more pages. For example, the order on working conditions in the health network is 75 pages long.

Some 116 orders and directives relating to the epidemic are in effect until March 21, a few days after the bill was tabled, to confirm the change after the health emergency was lifted.

Another amendment tabled on Thursday provides for a change in the title of the bill, which will now be titled: a law to end the health emergency and to temporarily maintain certain measures necessary to protect public health.

Manage package

On Thursday, Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services Daniel Barre first testified before a parliamentary committee.

Famous for directing the vaccination campaign, he explained why Quebec should have some extraordinary powers until the end of this year.

He said these measures were especially necessary to continue the use of the “I contribute” site and to allow some experts to participate in future vaccination campaigns (such as veterinarians). Barry promises.

In addition, Quebec may have to extend some vaccine storage contracts, especially for a maximum of five years. An action is complicated due to the change of warehouse and will be detrimental to the products, he explained.

The ministry said only 10 contracts would be affected by the move. Barry said. However, CISSS and CIUSSS have similar agreements to protect, he argues.

More details will follow.