Quebec will study the sectarian excesses (Jehovah's Witnesses and blood issue) - Le Journal de Quebec (Canada)

[Jack Ryan]

An article in the PRINT edition of Le Journal de Quebec, a major French-language daily newspaper distributed in Montreal, Québec, Canada. Le Journal de Quebec has a distribution of 228,000-copies each midweek day.

I understand that an abbreviated version of this article (with no picture) also appeared in the PRINT edition of Le Journal de Montreal on the same day.

Quebec will study the sectarian excesses

Le Journal de Quebec (Canada), Tuesday, November 27 2018 - page 13 (via Google Translate)

The death of a Jehovah's Witness has shaken the population

PICTURE: The young Eloise Dupuis died on October 12, 2016, after refusing a blood transfusion, as advocated by Jehovah's Witnesses.

A group of ministers will be responsible for studying the sectarian excesses after a private meeting between Eloise Dupuis' aunt and Justice Minister Sonia Lebel.

Manon Boyer met with Ms. Lebel at her Montreal offices on Monday, after questioning the Legault government in the Journal's pages. Her niece, Eloise Dupuis - a 27-year-old Jehovah's Witness - died in October 2016 after refusing a blood transfusion following her cesarean delivery.

The meeting, described as positive by Mrs. Boyer, lasted more than one hour. "Mrs. Lebel was interested, she listened, she asked questions," sums up Manon Boyer.

It has been fighting for two years to put an end to the sectarian excesses. Ms. Boyer is calling for an inquiry, in the form of a parliamentary commission or otherwise, to study the phenomenon and determine the legislative measures to put in place.

Manon Boyer wants Quebec to put an end to the refusal of blood transfusions. "I want to untie the hands of doctors," she says.

"POLITICAL WILL"

In Sonia Lebel's office, it is ensured that the minister will follow up on the meeting, without specifying the next steps.

"There is certainly a political will to look into the matter, but I can not say anything about the means that will be put in place," said Minister Lebel's press secretary, Nicky Cayer.

Ms. Lebel will work with the Minister of Health, Danielle Mccann, and the head of secularism, Simon Jolin-Barrette. "It's a tricky question that has implications for many portfolios," says Nicky Cayer.