One week after they stopped teaching medical students amid stalled contract negotiations, Quebec family doctors announced Thursday they were ending their teaching boycott.
The move comes a day after Quebec Premier François Legault warned the province’s doctors and medical specialists that if a deal was not reached by Friday, his government would enact a special law to force through changes to compensation and put an end to pressure tactics.
In a news release explaining its decision, the Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens du Québec (FMOQ) said it “heeded the call made by the leader of the Quebec Liberal Party, Pablo Rodriguez,” to end the boycott, but was critical of the premier and his government.
The FMOQ said it would have preferred for Legault to “fully play his role as premier,” saying he should have “involved himself in the discussions to promote an agreement or mandate an independent arbitrator.”
Instead, the FMOQ said that less than 24 hours after the government tabled its “final offer,” it “chose to announce special legislation.”
The federation, reiterated its willingness to continue intensive negotiations with the government but expressed disappointment the government didn’t wait for its response before threatening a special law.
Meanwhile, Legault said Thursday morning that unless significant advances are made with family doctors and medical specialists, the government won’t budge.
“It is time for a government to stand up, to finally change the method of remuneration,” he said, repeating the goal was to improve access to health care services for Quebecers.
Health Minister Christian Dubé, said that while he understood the doctors’ resistance to change there’s an “urgency” to act.
“So today, as a government that is responsible for patients, responsible for the students, we take action, that is what we do tomorrow,” he said.
The Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec (FMSQ), which represents medical specialists, has already rejected the province’s fourth offer to doctors that promised to address concerns over performance-based pay under Bill 106.
The FMOQ, however, has yet to present the government’s latest offer to its members for a vote.
