Quebec chooses quiet, reflective day to mark 2nd anniversary of COVID-19 pandemic | Globalnews.ca

On the second anniversary of the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec, Premier François Legault says the government did what it could to save as many lives as possible.

“This day is dedicated to their memory and to their loved ones who continue to suffer from their absence,” Legault wrote in an open letter published in various media on Friday to mark the national day of remembrance for the victims of COVID-19.

“It is for them that Quebecers will remember on March 11.”

Unlike last year, the Legault government will not hold a ceremony to honour the memory of Quebecers who’ve succumbed to the disease since 2020. As of Thursday, 14,141 residents have died as a result of the novel coronavirus.

Last year’s inaugural event brought together several dignitaries and representatives of bereaved families as part of an elaborate ceremony. This year, the government will lower the Quebec flag at half-mast at the national assembly and at other provincial offices to mark the day.

Quebec has been the hardest hit of any province in the country by COVID-19, accounting for 38 per cent of all deaths despite having less than a quarter of Canada’s population.

The government decided on a simple day “out of respect for the families and loved ones of the victims.” Legault has not planned any public events on Friday.

In his open letter, Legault wrote that he will remember those initial weeks, the daily press briefings announcing restrictions and the “long days and nights spent wondering if we were making the right decisions.”

“We did what we had to do to save as many lives as possible. I remember that Quebecers immediately grasped the seriousness of the situation and that Quebec reacted admirably in the face of danger.”

2:03
Masks no longer mandatory in Quebec classrooms

Legault wrote that after a rapid rise in cases and deaths during the first wave of the pandemic, the province moved to bolster its health-care system by adding staff while keeping schools open for kids.

“We carried out one of the most effective vaccination campaigns in the world,” he added, noting that most restrictions will be withdrawn by the weekend.

The anniversary, Legault wrote, reminds him of “the strength of our people and of the enormous sacrifices that we have had to make. It also brings to mind all those who left us too soon.”

“The virus attacked the most vulnerable among us, especially our seniors, who built Quebec,” Legault wrote. “Together, we managed to save thousands of lives, but we also lost too many mothers, fathers, grandmothers, and grandfathers.

“We lost brothers, sisters, and friends.”

However, Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade found it difficult to accept the government’s decision to forgo a ceremony this year, noting the province added 4,000 deaths since last March and those people should also be remembered. She accused Legault’s Coalition Avenir Quebec government of trying to distance itself from the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement, the Opposition Liberals reiterated their call for a public inquiry into the government’s handling of the pandemic. The party has promised to hold an inquiry if it wins the provincial election later this year.