Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet Tests Positive For COVID-19
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet has tested positive for COVID-19.
Blanchet plans to isolate at his home in Shawinigan until Sept. 26 but feels “perfectly fine,” according to a statement from the party Friday.
Quebec’s public health rules say a person who tests positive but doesn’t have serious symptoms must stay isolated for 10 days.
The Bloc leader and the 31 MPs in his caucus were already in isolation as a precaution after a staff member tested positive Monday, less than a week after an in-person caucus meeting. Blanchet’s wife, Nancy Deziel, announced Tuesday that she, too, had tested positive for COVID-19.
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In the statement, Blanchet stressed the importance of keeping up physical distancing measures, wearing masks, and washing one’s hands to slow the spread of the virus.
The revelation means Blanchet, leader of the third party in the House of Commons, will not be physically present for next week’s throne speech and the return of Parliament. The government’s much-anticipated speech from the throne will be delivered Sept. 23.
Blanchet tweeted that he and his wife are doing well, and that he plans to catch up chores around the house next week.
D’abord, merci à toutes et tous pour les vœux 🙏🏻
Nancy et moi avons la chance de très bien nous porter.
Je pense à celles et ceux qui en ont moins 😞
Je vais donner suite à toutes mes tâches de la maison (même vélo fixe et gym) pour une grosse semaine.
Retour le 26.
Merci!
💪🏻⚜️— Yves-F. Blanchet 🎗⚜️ (@yfblanchet) September 18, 2020
Last month, Blanchet made headlines when he said he would move a motion of non-confidence and try to trigger a fall election if he did not see resignations from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his chief of staff, and his then-finance minister Bill Morneau, mostly over the WE Charity controversy. Morneau stepped down less than a week after Blanchet’s public ultimatum.
Blanchet suggested...
