Choose halts father’s visitation rights with youngster for his refusal of COVID-19 vaccine

Montreal — A Canadian father, unvaccinated in opposition to COVID-19 and “against well being measures,” misplaced the fitting to go to his 12-year-old youngster after a Quebec choose dominated his visits wouldn’t be within the kid’s “greatest curiosity.” The choice, initially reported by Quebec newspaper Le Devoir and consulted by AFP, was rendered on December 23 and suspends the daddy’s visitation rights till February, until he decides to get vaccinated.

“It will not be within the kid’s greatest curiosity to have contact with their father if he isn’t vaccinated and is against well being measures within the present epidemiological context,” the choose mentioned in his ruling, referring to a spike in COVID instances as a result of Omicron variant.

The problem arose when the daddy requested an extension of his allotted visitation time across the holidays. The mom opposed his request. She informed the court docket she had not too long ago found he was unvaccinated and confirmed his earlier social media posts exhibiting an opposition to well being measures.

The choose famous that whereas the kid is vaccinated, their safety “appears decreased in opposition to the Omicron variant which is spreading in the mean time in Quebec.”

The mom additionally lives along with her accomplice and two different kids, aged seven months and 4 years — too younger for vaccines, which Canada has approved from the age of 5.

“In these circumstances, it isn’t within the curiosity of any of the three kids” for the 12-year-old to go to their father, the choose dominated.

Though greater than 90% of adults in Quebec are vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19, the province has registered a steep enhance in instances and hospitalizations in current weeks as a result of quickly spreading Omicron variant.

In an try and stem the brand new wave, Quebec introduced on December 30 the return of sure restrictions, together with a ten p.m. curfew and a ban on non-public gatherings.

The French-speaking province may even impose a brand new well being tax on unvaccinated individuals within the coming weeks, and has already banned them from non-essential shops.