The Minister of Health and Social Services, Christian Dubé, will be able to continue his vast reform of the public health network, which began six months ago. In his victory speech, Prime Minister François Legault stressed that he would entrust him with the same portfolio as during the previous mandate.
“Our health network must become more humane, more efficient,” said François Legault to his activists. This is the biggest management challenge we have in Quebec. Then, we are lucky to have the right captain. […] Thank you Christian Dube. »
The day after the general elections, the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ) calls for “a change of attitude” on the part of the Legault government.
“After more than two years of imposing working conditions through a series of ministerial decrees, it is high time to re-establish a constructive dialogue, not only for the well-being of our members, but also for that of users. of the health network,” said FIQ president Julie Bouchard in a press release.
The union recalls that the Legault government had promised to abolish overtime and to review the ratio of patients to healthcare professionals during its previous mandate. “These commitments never materialized,” continues Julie Bouchard. Today, he is being re-elected with essentially the same promises. »
The Confederation of National Trade Unions (CSN) assures that it will collaborate with the government, but calls on it to “really listen to what Quebec workers have to say” and to resist “the lure of the private sector”. .
During the election campaign, the CAQ announced the construction of two private mini-hospitals, one in eastern Montreal and the other in Quebec. The services offered there will be reimbursed by the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ).
“The health network must be redesigned as a whole: decentralized and rehumanized,” said CSN President Caroline Senneville in a press release. Staff recognition is essential, as is the improvement of working conditions. »
The CAQ “health team”
During the election campaign, the CAQ presented its “health team” made up of six candidates.
All were elected Monday evening, except the general practitioner Samuel Gatien, who bit the dust in La Pinière. The riding will be represented by Linda Caron of the Quebec Liberal Party, who succeeds Gaétan Barrette, former health minister under the Liberal banner.
It now remains to be seen who will work alongside Christian Dubé among the five elected members of the CAQ’s health team:
- Lionel Carmant, MP for Taillon. Neuropediatrician specializing in epilepsy, he was Minister Delegate for Health and Social Services during the last mandate of the CAQ. In this capacity, he was responsible, among other things, for mental health care. As of September 10, more than 21,000 Quebecers were on a waiting list to obtain such a service.
- Sonia Bélanger, MNA for Prévost. A clinical nurse by training, for seven years she directed the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, a health establishment employing more than 21,000 people and serving nearly 300,000 Montrealers. During the pandemic, Sonia Bélanger represented the command center of the Montreal health network. She was alongside the regional director of public health for Montreal, the DD Mylene Drouin.
- Marilyne Picard, MP for Soulanges. Elected in 2018, she served as parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Health and Social Services (health component). In the past, she founded Parents à la bout, a movement aimed at offering better support to families who, like hers, have a severely handicapped child.
- Shirley Dorismond, MP for Marie-Victorin. She was first elected last April in a by-election. When they were campaigning alongside her in the spring, François Legault and Christian Dubé repeatedly reiterated that they wanted to see Ms. Dorismond enter the government, because her experience would allow her to “contribute to the necessary changes in health”. A clinical nurse, Shirley Dorismond was vice-president of the FIQ from 2017 to 2021.