Targeted by an international complaint for “forced labor” imposed in the health network, the government of François Legault still believes it is capable of attracting a thousand nurses to Quebec by 2023.
Immigration and Health Ministers Jean Boulet and Christian Dubé launched a ‘reconnaissance’ mission on Wednesday to recruit staff from Algeria, Cameroon, Morocco, Tunisia and Mauritius . Already, more than 300 people have been selected using this program, which will cost Quebec $65 million.
“We need additional support,” said Minister Dubé during a press conference in Quebec.
The Legault government set itself the goal last fall of attracting and retaining 4,000 nurses in the public health network. In regions like Abitibi-Témiscamingue, the shortage of personnel numbers in the hundreds. By looking internationally, Quebec wants to ensure that the problem is resolved in the regions of Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Côte-Nord, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Gaspésie, Saguenay-Lac-Saint -Jean, James Bay and Outaouais.
But since this week, this same government has been the subject of a complaint before the International Labor Organization (ILO) for “forced labor” towards its health workers. The Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ), which filed the grievance, accuses Quebec of “tolerating [er] and even [de] favorites [er] » the use of compulsory overtime (also called compulsory overtime, TSO).
“Working conditions in Quebec are extremely attractive,” retorted Minister Jean Boulet on Wednesday. Of course, there are exceptional circumstances, but everything is in place to reduce [les heures supplémentaires obligatoires]. »
The Minister of Health is disappointed that these have “become a method of management” over the years. On Wednesday, he again pledged to move away from it “in a significant way”.
Will Ottawa follow?
The recruitment program launched Wednesday by Quebec provides that candidates will be welcomed in CEGEPs in targeted regions to receive refresher training lasting 9 to 12 months which will lead to recognition of their training and clinical experience by the College of Nurses. They will be allowed to work up to 20 hours a week as patient attendants during their training.
Candidates will also receive an allowance of $500 per week for the duration of the training and tuition fees, the cost of applying for equivalence to the Order and the cost of refresher training will all be covered by the Ministry of Immigration.
Last November, The duty reported that a growing number of foreign students – especially from Africa – were being refused entry to Quebec by the federal government. Then, the following month, the Canadian Minister of Immigration, Sean Fraser, affirmed in an interview that he wanted to solve this “problem”.
“There is an issue with Ottawa,” Mr. Boulet agreed on Wednesday, when asked about the possibilities of success of his attraction program, which will rely heavily on African nurses.
“That’s one of the reasons why I talk frequently with my colleague Mr. Fraser. [Sur] the student refusal rate, the situation needs to be rectified,” he added.
With The Canadian Press