Quebec passes law to make protesting outside schools, hospitals and vaccinations sites illegal

The Quebec government has made it illegal to protest within 50 metres ofschools, daycares, hospitals, medical clinics, mobile clinics,COVID-19 vaccination sites and testing centres.

Law 105, tabled Thursday morningand adoptedthat same evening,also makes itillegal to organize or "incite" someone to organize protests at those places.

People who protest orhelp organize themwill be subject to fines of $1,000 to $6,000. Those fines doublefor anyone who "threatens or intimidates a person who is going to, trying to access or leaving" these types of facilities.

The law also allows a Superior Court judge to grant an injunction to either prevent a protest from taking place or stop someone from organizing one.

The new law does not stop health-care workers or school staff from protestingconditions at their workplaces.

The Coalition Avenir Qubecsaid the lawis a response to recent anti-vaccine demonstrationsoutside schools and hospitals. Itwas tabled in a bill at the National Assemblyby Genevive Guilbault, the province's public security minister.

On Wednesday, Premier Franois Legault said the legislationwas necessary, adding that his patience with protesters "had reached its limit."

He also urged opposition parties to support itso that it could be adopted quickly.

"We're taking action to protect our children, protect our nurses [and] protect our patients," the premier said on Thursday morning.

"What's important is that weadopt thistoday."

New law applies for 30-day period, but it can be renewed

All parties agreed to fast-track the proposed bill.MNAshadfew hours to study it and propose amendments.

"We're not against people demonstrating," said Dominique Anglade, the leader of the Quebec Liberal Party.

"We're against people intimidating and demonstrating in front of children and in locations that are dangerous for the people that are impacted."

Manon Mass, co-spokesperson of Qubec Solidaire, said it's important to protect children and health-care workers while respecting people's right to protest.

"It's important for the law to bring measures that are exceptional, temporary and specific," Mass said.

The law will apply for a 30-day period an amendment that was suggested by Claire Samson, the lone MNAat the National Assembly for the Conservative Party of Quebec.

There is a provision, however,that allows the government to renew the law's 30-day application period. The law will no longer apply once the province's public health emergency is declared over.

The public health emergency has been in place since March 13, 2020.

Law 105 goes further than existing provincial laws that prevent peoplefrom blocking access to schools, hospitals and clinics.

Quebec also banned protests within 50 metres of abortion clinics in 2016.

Human rights lawyer says bill violates charter

Before it was adopted, Montreal human rights lawyer Julius Grey said the proposed lawis a violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Beyond that, it is unnecessary because there is already a prohibition on unlawful assembly, he said.

That means demonstrations could be stopped when they become violent, too loud, or contrary to municipal by-laws. Already, unions regularly hold demonstrations in front of hospitals and schools, he said.

"The right to demonstrate is a fundamental right. You can, of course, regulate it," Grey said.

Banning demonstrations within 10 metres of a door or from going after individual students would be more reasonable, but limiting protests to 50 metres away from schools, for example, appears to be an effort to stop the anti-vaccination message from reaching students, Grey said.

"I don't think it's the role of the government to block the message," said Grey.