Ford to Quebec doctors amid compensation dispute: ‘Call me’
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has a simple message to Quebec doctors amid their ongoing compensation dispute with the provincial government: “Call me.”
“Call 1-800-Doug Ford, all the docs and come by, call me on my cellphone, it’s on the internet, people are taking advantage of it now,” Ford said Wednesday. “Come by and we’ll have you working real quick. I’d love to see the doctors, nurses, would like to see anyone in health care come to Ontario because we’re a growing community.”
The premier’s comments come amid an ongoing dispute doctors are having with the Quebec government over a controversial bill that changes how they’re paid.
Bill 2 was passed over the weekend in Quebec, which will see a portion of doctors’ compensation linked to performance targets related to the number of patients, particularly vulnerable ones, they care for.
Premier Francois Legault called a special session to rush through the bill, which imposes fines of up to $20,000 per day on doctors who take “concerted action” to challenge the government’s policies.
Such actions could include groups of three or more doctors refusing to teach medical students or deciding to leave the public health system or move to another province.
Doctors say the bill amounts to a pay cut and medical specialists on Tuesday said they’re planning a legal challenge, saying it violates individual freedom.
Despite the threat of fines for leaving the province, some have already been considering a move.
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario told Global News in an email that as of Wednesday, it has received 70 applications for licensure since Oct. 23 from physicians from Quebec. The CPSO said the applications were for either a restricted or independent practice certificate in the province.
“These applications for licensure are currently in progress for the indicated period in 2025; some may be withdrawn or cancelled, so the number does not necessarily reflect the number of physicians who will ultimately be granted a certificate of registration from CPSO,” said a spokesperson for the college.
It added the data does not disclose reasons for the doctors to seek licensure to practice in the province.
For context, the CPSO said it received 19 applications between June 1 and Oct. 22.
Quebec doctors have also been eyeing New Brunswick as another option.
According to New Brunswick’s College of Physicians, the number of Quebec doctors seeking to obtain a licence in the Maritime province was in the low single digits all year. There were three in January, for example, and three in August.
So far this month, that number has spiked to 34.
Vitalite Health Network has also published a new Facebook advertisement, encouraging Quebec doctors to move to the Maritime province and the network says it’s received formal expressions of interest.
“Quebec doctors are continuing to look at New Brunswick as a healthy place to work, be respected, work across teams,” said New Brunswick Health Minister John Dornan.
Though Dornan added no one should be trying to attract already established doctors with incentives like higher pay, but said if people decide to come because they’ve showcased what the province has it’s “perfectly acceptable.”
While some doctors have started looking to other provinces, medical organizations like the Canadian and Ontario Medical Associations are raising concerns.
“When there is a shortage right across Canada, where one in five do not have access to a primary care provider, physician, or nurse practitioner, there’s a great need to keep as many of the physicians you have within every province practicing and enjoying their practice and being able to give their best to patients,” said Dr. Margot Burnell, president of the Canadian Medical Association.
A spokesperson with the Ontario Medical Association echoed Burnell’s sentiments.
“There is a doctor shortage across Canada, and all patients deserve access to physician care,” the OMA wrote. “The OMA has been working with the government to improve physician mobility across Canada, but we do not want to compromise the ability of Canadians to access care by fixing a problem in one province by creating an issue in another.”
Asked what would be the selling points for doctors to come to Ontario, Ford told reporters they’d “roll out the red carpet for you.”
“We’ve already hired over 16,000 doctors, we’re paying for their education in medical school, we’re adding more medical schools,” Ford said. “But the seasoned veteran docs, best quality of life you’ve ever have come by. We’ll roll out the red carpet for you.”
Ford added that Ontario has a “rich” Francophone culture, saying Ontario has more than 600,000 Francophones.
—with files from Global News’ Rebecca Lau, Anna Mandin and Suzanne Lapointe and The Canadian Press
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