Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms to sue Quebec over proposed tax on unvaccinated

The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms has announced that it will file a legal action against the proposal of the Quebec government to impose a health tax on residents refusing COVID-19 vaccines.

On January 11, Premier Francois Legault revealed that the provincial government is planning to impose a “substantial” amount, by way of a health tax, on residents unwilling to receive COVID-19 vaccines. But Legault did not provide further details on when his government will implement it and how much it will cost.

At present, the provincial government has been implementing a province-wide curfew and requiring vaccine passports for places of worship and non-essentials businesses.

In a released statement, Justice Centre president John Carpay said the proposed tax is an “egregious violation of the Charter rights of Quebecers and an affront to equality which Canada was, in times past, known for.”

If enacted, the government will follow other European nations, such as Greece and Italy, which currently impose fines on unvaccinated individuals.

Carpay claimed that the proposed tax, like the vaccine passport, is “discrimination and wrong.” He also claimed that vaccines do not prevent people from contracting or spreading COVID-19; thus, there is no medical or scientific justification for the “financial persecution and discrimination” against the unvaccinated.

“Historically, persecution of a minority through taxation has paved the way for further and worse measures,” Carpay said. “We will fight this discriminatory and unscientific tax in court and defend the right to bodily autonomy of Quebecers and all Canadians.”

Founded in 2010, Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms is a non-partisan law firm and registered charitable organization which provides free legal representation to safeguard people’s rights and freedoms provided under the Canadian constitution.