An online petition demanding the removal of Quebec premier François Legault has surpassed 200,000 signatures.
It comes amid growing frustration over Legault’s hardline COVID-19 measures, which include plans for a tax on the unvaccinated.
The petition published to Change.org states that Legault must be removed because he has contravened the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms for over a year.
It adds that Legault acts in a dictatorial manner and has coerced Quebecers into following his orders by depriving them of their rights. The petition also claims that Legault has opposed and even oppressed those who disagree with him.
Quebec was the first province in Canada to introduce a vaccine passport, which bans unvaccinated people from most non-essential businesses and activities. The petition claims that the passport has divided the province’s population.
The Legault government also announced that the vaccine passport would soon require a third dose, meaning that those who have not received their booster shot would eventually lose access to non-essential settings covered by the passport.
Despite one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, Quebec currently has the strictest lockdown restrictions in North America. This includes the closure of restaurants, gyms, event venues and places of worship (except for funerals) as well as a ban on private indoor gatherings.
The province also twice imposed a strict police-enforced curfew. The most recent, lasting from 10pm to 5am, is expected to end today.
Legault is also planning to charge Quebecers who have chosen not to get vaccinated against COVID-19 a “significant” health tax, a move which has received condemnation and outrage across the country.
Change.org says that if the petition to remove Legault reaches 200,000 signatures, it will become one of the top signed petitions on their site.
