As Quebec began booking appointments last Thursday for its expanded COVID-19 vaccination campaign, the province’s health minister said he’s in favour of vaccine passports for those who have been fully inoculated.

Christian Dube was asked at a news conference whether such passports could be used to allow access to entertainment venues or restaurants. He said yes, drawing a parallel to the time of the H1N1 flu when people were required to provide proof of vaccination before boarding flights.

“We’re in digital world, I do not see why we could not have a QR code, like on a boarding pass, when we fly,” Dube said. “For me, a digital vaccine passport is normal, and we have teams that are looking into it.” He said he has heard from businesses that would like to be able to check for proof of vaccination before letting people in.

Quebec already has an electronic database with information about Quebecers’ vaccinations, Health Department spokeswoman Marjaurie Cote-Boileau said in an email Friday. The government, she added, would only need to make this information more widely available for a COVID-19 passport system.

“It’s an interesting innovation that we need to explore,” she wrote, adding the government will be transparent about the process.

On Friday, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois of second opposition party Quebec solidaire called for a legislative commission to study the vaccine passport project, saying it should hear from experts and explore the ethical issues behind such as idea.

“The potentially discriminatory effects of a ‘vaccination passport’ are considerable,” Nadeau-Dubois wrote on Twitter. “It’s not just about taking a plane or dining out – serious questions arise about access to housing, the right to work, to name just these two examples.”

Also on Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau commented, “The issue must be discussed in a transparent and rigorous manner… There are potential pros and cons that I’ve heard on various issues surrounding it. Our position as a government is always going to be to rely on the best advice of experts.”

The notion of vaccine passports has been debated around the world as vaccinations have increased.

Dr. Horacio Arruda, Quebec’s director of public health, said he would not want such a passport to be seen as a free pass.

“One of the dangers is that we say we’re vaccinated and we end up in a free-for-all,” Arruda said. “We know it’ll protect you, it’ll decrease your risk of complications, but it won’t necessarily stop transmission to someone else.”