The government is starting to run out of patience with the Order of Nurses of Quebec (OIIQ) in the saga surrounding its professional exam. Minister Sonia LeBel gave him an ultimatum on Tuesday and directly threatened to impose guardianship.
In a message published on the X platform, the president of the Treasury Board, Sonia LeBel, announced that she had asked the Office of Professions “to appoint a governance controller” responsible for supporting the board of directors of the OIIQ.
This person will have the mandate to “ensure that the necessary adjustments will be made” by the institution.
In a second message, the minister insists on the fact that this is “the last chance for the OIIQ to demonstrate its capacity to act”.
If the actions taken by the order are not considered sufficient in light of the observations of the independent controller, supervision awaits the OIIQ.
In an interview with The Canadian Press, Minister LeBel clarified that the controller has still not been named, but that this should not take long. This person will have real power of action and will report their observations to the Office of Professions every 30 days.
In the event that progress does not meet expectations, the minister says she is ready to impose supervision. This controller will therefore ensure that the inventory is documented in order to justify any possible takeover of governance.
“This is the order’s last chance to act on its own based on the commissioner’s recommendations,” she warns.
Sonia LeBel openly asserts that she doubts the ability of the OIIQ to act and govern itself correctly. She says she is taking these actions in order to ensure the protection of the public and preserve credibility and confidence in the professional system.
Following the three investigation reports from the commissioner for admission to professions, the OIIQ still maintains that its examination is not the only one responsible for the abnormally high failure rates of the September 2022 and March 2023 sessions.
However, the most recent progress report from Commissioner Me André Gariépy concludes that there is nothing to link the failures to hypothetical inadequate training as the OIIQ claims. Since the start of the saga, the order has considered the failures as a consequence of the effects of the pandemic on the training of candidates.
Moreover, in an open letter published Monday, President Luc Mathieu continues to insinuate that the pandemic was an important factor despite the commissioner’s conclusions.
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