Quebec public health-care workers denounce 'privatization' amid $1B deficit

Genevieve Biron, head of Sante Quebec speaks after she was appointed, as Quebec Health Minister Christian Dube looks on, Monday, April 29, 2024 in Quebec City. (Jacques Boissinot, The Canadian Press)

Health-care professionals in Quebec continue to denounce the government’s privatization of the network as it starts tightening the belt with hiring freezes. 

Earlier this week, Geneviève Biron, head of Santé Québec — the province’s new health care management system — said there’s a lot of pressure on the network. Biron is the former head of Biron Medical group, which operates in the private sector, and her appointment led some to worry she would run Santé Québec like a business.

She confirmed the government is trying to make up for a $1 billion deficit in the sector “without affecting services” and continuing to use the private sector “as leeway.” 

But when pushed by CTV News Montreal anchor Maya Johnson about how realistic this would be, Biron shirked the questions, saying her main goal is to build a robust public network and “up our game” when it comes to primary care, emergency rooms, surgeries, and access to treatment. 

“We’re not talking about cuts. We’re aiming for deficits and we’re asking people to manage efficiently,” she said. “We need to be respectful of our budgets … I think health care needs to be contributing to good management of our economy, as other sectors.”

At the same time, the health ministry ordered a hiring freeze at several institutions, like the CISSS de Laval which will undergo a “structural review,” leaving 565 positions vacant indefinitely. The union representing workers said the move left them “dumbfounded.” Another 580 or so positions are vacant at the CHUM, and some 120 at the CISSS Est-de-l’Ile. 

Réjean Leclerc, president of the Fédération de la santé et services sociaux (FSSS), which represents some 140,000 members, accused the government of “double-speak” and “spreading lies.” 

Quebec is planning to force new doctors trained in the province to work in Quebec's public health-care system for the first few years of their practice. Earlier this month, Health Minister Christian Dubé said he would “wean” the health-care system off the private sector, but has since backpedaled. Just last week, he said he wants every Quebecer to have access to a health professional by the summer of 2026.

“The government pretends it isn’t in a period of austerity, which is false. it pretends it isn’t touching the needs of the people when it comes to care and services, and now they’re announcing cuts while they spent a lot of money on the private sector,” Leclerc said. 

“They put $3 billion in their pocket while asking us to cut $1 billion.” 

Leclerc criticized Biron’s stance on the public health-care network, saying “we all know it’s way more expensive.” Meanwhile, he said, the government is paying out private medical groups with public funds. 

“Now we’re being asked to cut from the public sector what’s been paid out to the public. I’m saying the government should get that money back from private agencies,” he told CTV News.

Leclerc said the hiring freeze will deeply affect services because vacant positions won’t be filled, and those who retire won’t be replaced. Health-care workers are already spread thin, with some working more than one job at lower wages, he said. 

“There’s no fat left to trim,” Leclerc said. “The government can’t even pay what’s owed to us as part of our collective agreements.”

According to Leclerc, the government learned nothing from the pandemic. He said Quebecers will suffer if preventative care, at-home care and hospital support staff remain undervalued. 

With files from Maya Johnson and Max Harrold