The Quebec government passed unique legislation early Saturday to implement a new payment system for doctors. Premier François Legault called a special session to push through the bill just before 4 a.m., which includes fines of up to $500,000 per day for doctors engaging in coordinated actions against government policies. In recent months, federations representing family doctors and medical specialists used tactics like refusing to teach medical students to oppose the proposed payment system.
Under the new law, a portion of doctors’ pay will now be tied to performance goals related to the number of patients, especially those in vulnerable situations, they treat. The legislation, named Bill 2, was approved with a vote of 63 to 27, with Legault in attendance. Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé presented the bill on Friday, similar to Bill 106 introduced in May but with additional provisions aimed at resolving the contract dispute between the province and doctors.
Liberal health critic Marc Tanguay criticized the government’s approach, calling it misguided. Vincent Marissal, the health critic for Québec Solidaire, condemned the law as an assault on fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and association, predicting legal challenges ahead. Quebec’s federation of medical specialists and the federation representing general practitioners and family doctors have both indicated intentions to challenge the law in court.
During discussions on the bill, Dubé emphasized the need for a different approach, citing the current situation as unsustainable. Opposition parties have raised concerns about the government’s use of closure to push through the legislation, marking the eighth instance under the CAQ government since 2018. The closure mechanism ends debates on bills and mandates a vote.