Updated throughout the day on Tuesday, Aug. 31. Questions/comments: [email protected] Top updates ‘We’re ready’ to launch vaccine passport tomorrow, Dubé says Six questions about Quebec’s vaccine passports, answered Quebec OKs vaccine passports for study participants and people who can’t get vaccinated for medical reasons McGill student union planning protest to demand vaccine mandate Hoping for normal: kids return to school across Quebec Opinion: How to help protect the under-12 crowd Hospitalizations on rise as Quebec reports 425 cases, 1 death Quebec announces latest vaccine-lottery winners, with $1 million draw set for Friday Canada’s economy posts surpris
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Updated throughout the day on Tuesday, Sept. 7. Questions/comments: [email protected]
(This item is being updated)
This was the Montreal Gazette’s live coverage of tonight’s federal leaders’ debate in French – the first time all four federal leaders will share a stage. Questions/comments? [email protected] Top updates: Leaders speak to reporters after debate Blanchet says ‘systemic racism’ label is used to bash Quebec Trudeau, Blanchet clash on climate What if it’s another minority government? Trudeau won’t rule out getting involved in a legal battle against Bill 21 O’Toole won’t say whether he’d give Quebec $6 billion for childcare Trudeau helps the ‘ultra-rich,’ Singh says Are all party candidates vaccinated? O’Toole doesn’t answer Leaders target Trudeau for calling electio
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Quebec has recorded 515 new cases of COVID-19, the provincial government announced this morning.
No new deaths were reported.
But hospitalizations continue to rise and are now at their highest level since June.
Some other key statistics from Quebec’s latest COVID-19 update:
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Quebec has reported 393,852 cases and 11,293 deaths linked to COVID-19. A total of 377,099 people who have contracted the disease have since recovered.
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A Montérégie man is $1 million richer after winning the final jackpot in Quebec’s vaccine lottery, the provincial government announced this morning.
In addition, 16 youths aged 12 to 17 won $20,000 scholarships. A series of other prizes – from iPhones to a trip to Cancun – were also given out.
The government has published a complete list of vaccine lottery winners .
Since the start of the pandemic, Quebecers have been the least fearful of contracting COVID-19 and among the most optimistic about life returning to normal, polls have shown.
Despite the arrival of the more contagious Delta variant, Quebecers – particularly francophones – still fear the virus less than other North Americans, a new survey of 2,500 Canadians and Americans has found.
Updated throughout the day on Tuesday, Sept. 7. Questions/comments: [email protected] Top updates Quebec reports 515 cases as hospitalizations mount Montérégie man wins $1 million in Quebec vaccine lottery Getting COVID-19 – Quebecers least fearful in North American Coroner’s inquest into Herron CHSLD pandemic deaths resumes today Canada’s border reopening is a calculated risk, medical experts say Canadians split on whether lack of vaccination is fireable offence, poll shows Justin Trudeau hit with rocks as he exits London campaign event Judge refuses to suspend mask mandate in Quebec What is ivermectin — and why are people convinced it’s a COVID cure? A guid
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“Quebec’s francophone population is the most positive and continues to feel that way over 18 months since the start of the pandemic,” said Jack Jedwab, president of the Association for Canadian Studies, which conducted the survey with the Léger polling firm.
“They are (also) North America’s least fearful when it comes to getting the virus.”
And “Quebec is the only region of North America where a majority feel that the worst of the crisis is behind us.”
Jedwab added: “Rates of vaccination are high in Quebec relative to other parts of the continent and this likely has boosted the level of optimism that Quebecers – especially francophones – feel about the situation, but the feeling of optimism about the future has been a constant from the outset.”
Some key findings:
The coroner’s public inquiry into deaths at the Dorval’s CHSLD Herron during the first wave of COVID-19 resumed this morning and will continue over the next three weeks.
This is the Montreal Gazette’s live coverage of tonight’s federal leaders’ debate. Questions/comments? [email protected] Top updates: Trudeau and O’Toole neck and neck with less than two weeks left in campaign: Leger poll Welcome to our live coverage Tonight’s French debate, Thursday’s English debate pivotal for federal leaders In 2019, the Liberals narrowly outpaced the Bloc in Quebec The Greens were poised for a breakthrough in 2019. Now their woes may impact the wider election Opinion: With two weeks to go, the real campaign is beginning Opinion: No room for error in Round 2 of federal leaders’ debates Opinion: With two weeks to go, can Justin Trudeau reverse th
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The public can follow the proceedings online, via Microsoft Teams or by telephone. Details on how to attend the hearing virtually are in this press release.
Among the witnesses set to testify today: Dr. Mylène Drouin, Montreal director of public health.
Two weeks ago, Quebec’s office of criminal prosecutions announced that it will not lay criminal charges in connection with the deaths at Herron , where at least 40 residents died during the first wave.
Last year, a government report found fault with operators of the seniors’ residence .
As Canada enters a Delta-driven fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, its latest border reopening phase is a calculated risk, medical experts say.
Fully vaccinated international travellers are permitted to enter Canada for non-essential purposes as of 12:01 a.m. Tuesday — a month after the country opened its borders to fully vaccinated Americans. These travellers will not be required to quarantine, but will have to provide a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure to board their flight to Canada.
Constitutional and civil rights lawyer Julius Grey said that rather than trying to stay on Quebec’s good side, political leaders should have the courage to stand up against clearly discriminatory laws. Grey was reacting to the indignation of Premier François Legault following the federal leaders’ debate Thursday. During the election debate, moderator Shachi Kurl called two pieces of Quebec legislation discriminatory: Bill 96 , which proposes measures to reinforce the French language charter, and Bill 21 , which prohibits some public servants from wearing religious clothing.
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Read our full story, by Katelyn Thomas.
As employees gradually begin returning to the office, a new poll suggests Canadians are divided on whether employers should have the right to fire those who refuse to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Read our full story, by Jesse Feith.
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau was hit with a handful of rocks as he waded through a crowd following a Monday event in London – a seeming escalation of the vocal protests that have caused security concerns at other campaign stops.
Monday marked Trudeau’s first visit to London of the federal election campaign, now two weeks old, and it drew a now-familiar mix of 100 chanting protesters – anti-COVID vaccine and anti-mask demonstrators, many wearing People’s Party of Canada garb.
Read our full story.
The Superior Court has rejected the request of three Quebecers to immediately suspend mandatory mask-wearing in the province.
In his decision, Judge Frédéric Pérodeau refused to suspend the application of decrees and ministerial orders related to COVID-19 that require everyone to wear a face covering in indoor public places.
Read our full story.
Ivermectin has revolutionized the treatment of parasitic infections in humans, including “river blindness,” a tropical disease spread by tiny worms carried by black flies that attacks the cornea. In veterinary medicine, it’s also an efficient horse and cattle dewormer.
COVID-19 hospitalizations are “accelerating” in Montreal, with 43 people now in intensive care, Sonia Bélanger, head of a regional health authority, told reporters Wednesday. Andy Riga reports on this and other pandemic developments in his daily blog. Read it here . Legault condemns Bill 96-‘Gestapo’ comparison . The premier said Anne-France Goldwater’s comments were ‘insulting’ to the Jewish community, and hoped the community would take her to task. Read more here .
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But ivermectin for preventing or treating COVID-19, especially in quantities intended for animals?
Health Canada became the latest health agency this week to warn people not to ingest human or veterinary grade versions of ivermectin to curb SARS-CoV-2. Any pills, pastes, oral, injectable or topical solutions purchased for such a purpose, the agency said, should be immediately discarded.
Read our full story.
Here’s the rate of case growth per 100,000 people over the past seven days, via the federal government’s latest epidemiological update .
Quebec’s vaccine passport is mandatory for people 13 and older who want to access services and activities deemed non-essential by the provincial government, including bars, restaurants, gyms, festivals and sporting events.
Though the passport came into effect Sept. 1, no penalties will be issued for the first two weeks. Quebecers will be able to use a smartphone app to prove their vaccination status or simply carry their QR code on paper.
Quebecers can download the app from Apple’s App Store and Google Play .
We have published two guides to the passports – one looks at how to download and set up the app , and another answers key questions about the system, including how, when and why.
You can find more information on the Quebec government’s website – one page has details on how the system works, and another has a list of the places where a vaccine passport will be required .
Local health authorities have set up mass vaccination sites across Montreal.
You can book appointments via the Clic Santé website or by phone at 1-877-644-4545.
Until late last week, polls were indicating the federal election results in this campaign in Quebec would look very similar to the last, in which the Liberals won 35 seats, the Bloc Québécois 32, the Conservatives 10 and the NDP just one. But then Premier François Legault suggested a Conservative minority led by Erin O’Toole would be the best outcome for Quebec . And then the English leaders’ debate stirred controversy, with questions directed at Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet asking why he supports “discriminatory” Quebec laws like Bills 21 and 96, fanning the flames of outrage among many . Suddenly, the outlook for Quebec became much less clear.
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Quebecers can also visit walk-in AstraZeneca, Moderna and Pfizer vaccine clinics .
Here are the nuts and bolts of getting vaccinated , by Katherine Wilton. Her guide includes the age groups targeted, how to book appointments, and addresses of vaccination centres.
Two private sites can also help you book appointments:
We are regularly updating our list of what services are open, closed or modified in Montreal and Quebec, including information on the curfew and other lockdown measures.
You can read it here.
Montrealers can be screened at test centres across the island.
You can check screening clinic wait times here .
Stay informed with our daily email newsletter focused on local coronavirus coverage and other essential news, delivered directly to your email inbox by 7 p.m. on weekdays.
You can sign up here .
Read my previous live blogs here.
Too close to call: Quebec ridings to watch on election night .
Until late last week, polls were indicating the federal election results in this campaign in Quebec would look very similar to the last, in which the Liberals won 35 seats, the Bloc Québécois 32, the Conservatives 10 and the NDP just one. But then Premier François Legault suggested a Conservative minority led by Erin O’Toole would be the best outcome for Quebec . And then the English leaders’ debate stirred controversy, with questions directed at Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet asking why he supports “discriminatory” Quebec laws like Bills 21 and 96, fanning the flames of outrage among many . Suddenly, the outlook for Quebec became much less clear.