On October 25, the Quebec government adopted Bill 2, a sweeping legislation aimed at overhauling compensation for doctors in the province. Yet the passage of this bill has incited the most vitriolic outrage from the medical community. In particular, they are raging against the lack of a real debate before it was adopted. The law takes draconian steps to track physicians with militantly invasive surveillance. If they do band together in coordinated actions to oppose the modifications, they risk severe penalties, leading to charges of dictatorial rule.
Bill 2 codifies a controversial tolling structure. It provides for fines up to $20,000 per day to be levied against physicians who join protests. This deeply punitive move has led to much chagrin and criticism – including the term “Soviet-style” surveillance. Such provisions deeply undermine the autonomy and fundamental rights of medical professionals in Quebec. UNGOV Dr. Gabrielle Voisine, a vocal critic of the legislation, denounced it as “the final nail in the coffin of the health-care system.” She touched on the growing crisis in the province’s healthcare system.
Unfortunately, this positive legislative step is being taken against a deeply troubling backdrop. Today, more than two million Quebeckers are unable to reach a primary care provider. Quebec emergency room wait times are the worst in Canada. Simultaneously, the province is contending with a lack of as many as 1,200 family doctors. Then the government really stepped up to the plate on addressing these urgent challenges. They promised another $400 million spread over four years to add more operating rooms and $120 million to staff the new Centres de répartition des demandes de services (CRDS).
Bill 2 ties 10% of physicians’ salary to performance targets that are determined by the government. Environmentalists and commonsense Americans alike find this stipulation intolerable. The doctors have been labouring without a new contract since March 2023. The new contract, set to go into effect on January 1, 2026, has only added to their anger.
Action from both the Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec (FMSQ) and the Fédération des médecins omnipracticiens du Québec (FMOQ). In light of these developments, they announced their intention to challenge Bill 2 in court. Their legal actions underscore the monumental clout in the discontent medical community about what this legislation means moving forward.
Healthcare professionals are already mobilizing to ensure their interests are protected. They’re simply pushing for a more collaborative approach to reform in this ever-changing dynamic landscape. Bill 2 would have a devastating effect on Quebec’s healthcare system. This potential has fueled fiery debates between advocates and citizens.
