The head of the liberal Party of Quebec, Dominique Anglade, in a street in Montreal
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June 26, 2020 14h23
Updated at 17h18
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Public transport: it is necessary to require the wearing of the mask, pounds Anglade
Caroline
The Canadian Press
Quebec needs to stop “dithering” and make masks mandatory in public transport, slice the head of the liberal Party of Quebec, Dominique Anglade.
In the interview, she said they did not understand why Quebec has not yet followed suit in Toronto, June 11, decreed the obligation to wear the mask in public transport as of the 2nd of July.
This is all the more incomprehensible that the director of Quebec public health, Horacio Arruda, recently said “concerned” by the release of Quebeckers who déconfinent, ” she said.
Even if he is worried about the release, Dr. Arruda has not yet imposed the mask in transit. He, however, said, Thursday, to investigate this possibility of “very very close”.
“I don’t want to make the announcement today in relation to it. But let’s say that, in our intentions, it is something that we look at a lot,” he said in a press briefing.
“He told us, he told us: “I am very concerned by the easing of measures”. Well if you are very concerned, ask the gesture that is required,” responded Ms. Anglade, incredulous.
To be better prepared
The idea, according to Ms. Anglade, is to be better prepared in the event of a second wave of COVID-19.
“Over there, the science has shown that it was better protected in places where one is not able to maintain a distance with a port in the mask”, she insists, putting further pressure on the authorities.
Quebec must “minimally” require the wearing of mask in public transport, such as commuter trains, the metro and the bus, or so it believes.
Then, the head of a liberal is not opposed to that, following an analysis of the public health, the obligation to wear a mask to be expanded to other sectors.
In all cases, the question of wearing a mask is mandatory in the transport should have already been settled at Quebec, writes Dominique Anglade.
“I do not understand that it is still in the process of procrastinating on the wearing of the mask mandatory in public transport. I don’t understand!” she started.
“We had results bad enough. The idea now is that you are able to be better prepared.
“If there is a reason why we find ourselves in this situation here today, it is precisely because it has not been well enough prepared”, she added.
The proposal of the PQ
The Parti québécois (PQ) had proposed, on the 13th of may last, the mask-wearing compulsory in public transport and public places of Montreal.
The interim leader of the PQ, Pascal Bérubé, had then asked the government to show “leadership” and to protect the citizens of Montreal and suburbs, most affected by the pandemic.
“Me, I’m going to give you a clear position of the Parti québécois: from now on, that wearing a mask is mandatory in all services of public transportation and in public places in Montreal,” said Mr. Bérubé in a press briefing at the national Assembly.
“It is the position of the Parti québécois. Then, there is nothing to prevent the government of Québec to enact it in the next day or the next few hours, and we will support it strongly,” he added.
According to a survey by the canadian medical Association released Friday, the wearing of the mask seems to be the preventive measure unless followed, especially by the young.
Only 42 per cent of Quebecers polled said they wear the mask regularly in public places since the beginning of the crisis, just 27% of those aged 18 to 34 years of age.
On the other hand, 74 % of Quebecers expect a second wave of COVID-19 over the next few months.
