‘Discriminatory and Wrong’: Conservative Leaders Oppose Quebec’s Proposed Tax on the Unvaccinated

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole replaces his mask at the end of a news conference responding to the federal government’s COVID-19 response, on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Jan. 6, 2022. The Canadian Press/Justin Tang

Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole says he is opposed to Quebec’s plan to tax residents who refuse COVID-19 vaccination, while other Conservative politicians are also speaking out against the controversial penalty.

O’Toole stated his position on Quebec Premier François Legault’s proposal during a Facebook Live event on Jan. 13, calling it unfair and predicting that it won’t persuade vaccine-hesitant Quebecers to finally roll up their sleeves.

He also said Quebec’s proposal doesn’t align with Canada’s approach to health care and that it’s easy to “turn a frustrated 85 percent of the population against 10 or 15 other percent of the population,” referring to those who are vaccinated and those who refuse to get the shot.