Under attack, Dubé defends closing bars, restaurants
Health minister says number of cases in Quebec shows decision was correct
The provincial health minister is defending his government's decision to shut down bars and restaurant dining rooms during the pandemic, insisting it was the right call in the fight against COVID-19.
“We have always been guided by prudence and it was important to limit the number of contacts between people,” Christian Dubé said Thursday.
“Remember, we were at the end of September and we saw the number of cases exploding. It was really not a decision we took with pleasure.”
Noting the 1,842 new cases reported Thursday, Dubé said Quebec had to take a step beyond what was recommended by public health.
“I am glad we made that decision.” he said. “I think we made the right decision.”
On Wednesday, Quebec's director of public health, Horacio Arruda, revealed he did not recommend a complete shutdown of bars and restaurant dining rooms — but rather that tables be limited to patrons from the same home or “bubble.”
The remarks, made under questioning to a committee of the legislature, have infuriated struggling restaurant owners who have recorded huge pandemic losses and been forced to lay off thousands of workers.
Some, including David Mcmillan of Joe Beef in Montreal, have threatened civil disobedience as a result of the lockdown.
All three opposition parties pounced on the remark Thursday and accused the Legault government of not being upfront with restaurant and bar owners.
“Mr. Legault said it was a decision based on health,” Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade told reporters. “It was not. This is not telling the truth.”
Asked how she would have handled the issue, Anglade said she would have given the owners “all the support they need” if she were premier and decided to close restaurants and bars.
Arruda's response was to questions posed by Parti Québécois parliamentary leader Pascal Bérubé during the committee's proceedings.
“The government has said systematically that it is always public health that decides,” Bérubé said.
“Well, we have learned this is not true, there are exceptions.
“The question is: Are we going to discover other decisions like this one?”
Québec solidaire co-spokesperson Manon Massé said: “What we have here is an example of a lack of transparency, which is having a damaging effect on the confidence people have in the government.
“We can't change the past. It's done. The government must respond for its actions. The premier should apologize to restaurant operators.”
At a hastily called news conference, Dubé said the government preferred to err on the side of safety and go further than public health suggested.
The minister added he must live with making tough decisions every day.
“I ask the opposition today: Where would we be today if we had not closed the bars and restaurants?”
Asked why the government was not more forthcoming in its decision-making, Dubé insisted it has been transparent.
“You have no idea the number of decisions we make every day to be where we are at,” he said. “Even if it was difficult, I am glad we made this decision. I am sorry to say we have not been able to control this second wave, but this is the reality.”
He said when the minister for the economy, Pierre Fitzgibbon, discussed options with restaurant owners, they told him that if they were forced to move to a bubble format, they might as well close.
“That's a small detail which is not known,” Dubé said.
He insisted the government strayed from public health recommendations only one other time — when it decided to cancel the four-day holiday break.
Asked about the opposition's criticisms later in the day, Legault echoed Dubé's comments.
“I said it quite often that we respected all the recommendations of public health, but sometimes we have additional restrictions. At the time we took the decision to close restaurants in red zones. I am happy that we did so when you look at the actual situation.”
In Montreal, Martin Vézina, a spokesperson for the 5,600-member Association Restauration Québec, said the industry is in desperate need of revenue and restaurants should be allowed to reopen, even with restrictions.
“Maybe back in October to limit (table sittings) to groups of four (family members) would not have been that great for the restaurant business,” he said. “But now that we are in December and have been closed for two months, maybe (that alternative) is better than being closed.
“But it's not just reopening. ... We need direct aid in the same way the federal government did with wage subsidies and rental subsidies. ... We need a comprehensive package — it's not just one or the other.”
I ask the opposition today: Where would we be today if we had not closed the bars and restaurants?