Ottawa criticizes Quebec’s homeless curfew policy after man dies steps from a shelter

Luca Caruso-Moro

________________________________________________________________

Ottawa criticizes Quebec’s homeless curfew policy after man dies steps from a shelter

On Monday, Raphael Andre, a homeless Indigenous man, froze to death just steps away from a shelter in Montreal. 

Now, federal lawmakers are criticizing Quebec’s curfew policy, according to CTV News. 

Quebec’s province wide curfew applies to everyone the same way: don’t be outside after 8 p.m.

That includes homeless people, many of which don’t have a place to go. 

And because of Quebec’s pandemic rules, the shelter had to kick Raphael Andre out, even though there were beds available.

He turned to a chemical toilet for shelter, where he later froze. He was 51-years-old. 

In a report from the Canadian Press, Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller called on Premier Francois Legault to, quote, “treat [homeless people] with humanity.”

Earlier this week, according to another CTV report, Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante asked the Premier to relax the curfew rules on people living on the street. 

Legault refused this request, saying people may claim to be homeless in an effort to break curfew.