QUEBEC — A Quebec judge has ruled a mother can have her young son vaccinated against the novel coronavirus without the father's consent and ordered the father not to take the child to COVID-19 protests.
In a ruling dated April 12, Superior Court Justice Nathalie Pelletier sides with the 10-year-old's mother, who says she learned the boy's father forced him to lie about his age to avoid masking in public places.
The mother says the child's father took him to the trucker convoy protests in Ottawa last winter, claiming he wanted to instil democratic values in the boy, but she argues those kinds of protests are dangerous for children.
The father, meanwhile, said demonstrations against COVID-19 health orders aren't risky for children and that he has the right to a contrarian opinion against the vaccine.
Pelletier found the evidence the father submitted in court to defend his position against COVID-19 vaccines wasn't corroborated by health experts.
She ruled that vaccinating the boy against the coronavirus would be in his best interest, as would keeping him away from COVID-19 demonstrations, which she said can escalate quickly into violence.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 20, 2022.
The Canadian Press
