Coalition Avenir Quebec member out of caucus for not following COVID-19 rules at bar

QUEBEC – A member of the governing Coalition Avenir Quebec party is temporarily out of caucus after a video surfaced of him breaking COVID-19 rules at a holiday gathering.

In a statement released by the party today, Denis Tardif, member for Riviere-du-Loup-Temiscouata, admitted to breaking the rules and apologized.

Government whip Eric Lefevbre said in the statement that he accepted Tardif’s offer to be temporarily removed from caucus.

Lefevbre says the government is taking the situation very seriously and that Quebec’s hospitals are under pressure because of the pandemic.

Tardif was caught on video, obtained by TVA network, not wearing a mask at a holiday party and breaking physical distancing rules.

The party was held at a brewery in his riding, located about 430 kilometres northeast of Montreal.

Tardif will also lose his position as chair of the caucus for the following legislative session.

“Last night I made a mistake,” he wrote. “I should have led by example, limited my contacts and respected the distancing rules … I invite the entire population to continue to follow the rules. “

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 17, 2020.