The reform of Minister of Health Christian Dubé has led to an escalation of criticism from opposition parties. “Wet dreamby Gaétan Barrette, Dubé the “mini-minister”, the opponents of the CAQ showed creativity on Thursday.
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“Something amazing just happened, Mr.me Speaker, the Prime Minister has just congratulated himself on accomplishing…I too, I will say a word in English, the wet dream by Gaetan Barrette. He has just told us: “Me, I am going to go as far as Gaétan Barrette has never gone…”, launched the parliamentary leader of Québec solidaire, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, at the Blue Room, Thursday morning.
Photo d’archives, Stevens LeBlanc
Québec solidaire co-spokesperson, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois
The solidarity leader criticized the CAQ government for wanting to further centralize the health network, with the creation of the Health Quebec agency, after a first wave of mergers to create the CISSS and the CIUSSS in 2015 under the former Liberal minister Gaétan. Barrette.
Prime Minister François Legault replied by inviting him to be careful with his choice of words, after reminding him “that he is no longer a student leader, but that he is in the National Assembly”. “Let him age a little bit, let him mature a little,” he added.
- Listen to the interview with Christian Dubé, Minister of Health, on Yasmine Abdelfadel’s program broadcast live via QUB radio:
He blames QS for standing in the way of progress. “We defend the status quo, we defend the past, we say we are progressive, but we don’t want to change anything,” said the CAQ Prime Minister.
Like those in solidarity, the PQ members also fear that the reform will place too much power in the hands of the minister. “This is the greatest centralization effort we have ever experienced,” dropped MP Joël Arseneau at a press briefing.
“Mini Minister”
Earlier in the day, the interim leader of the Quebec Liberal Party, Marc Tanguay, launched hostilities by asking what the minister will be used for once the new Health Quebec agency takes over daily operations.
For him, the creation of Santé Québec will serve to make Minister Dubé less accountable. “We will have a mini-minister of health, not a super-minister,” he quipped.
Photo d’archives, Stevens LeBlanc
The interim leader of the PLQ, Marc Tanguay
But François Legault rejects these criticisms. The reform will not lead to less accountability of the minister, he assures. “There will continue to be question periods and there will continue to be oppositions that will hold us accountable, with good reason. So nothing has changed,” said François Legault.
The appointment of a local manager in each facility (hospitals, CHSLDs, etc.) will also allow greater accountability directly on the ground, believes the Premier.
“Good management is that Quebec, senior management, evaluates the results, but leaves the choice of means locally. Worse there, well… it gives them rope. They can hang themselves with it, but they have an obligation of result, to provide good quality services,” he said.
Photo d’archives, Stevens LeBlanc
Premier Francois Legault
Staff mobility
However, all is not black. The proposal to recognize the seniority of health network personnel throughout Quebec to promote the mobility of personnel from one region to another is well received by the opposition parties.
It will, however, be necessary to ensure that the personnel who have left the public network to work in private personnel placement agencies return to the health network, expressed PQ MP Joël Arseneau.
Rapid adoption
Minister Dubé, who said on Wednesday that he hoped his bill would be passed quickly, will have to restrain his enthusiasm. “I have been here for several years. A bill of 1,200 articles, I’ve never seen that, ”said Liberal MP André Fortin, who believes that the study of the legislative document will take time.
Similarly, the PQ believe that it will not be possible to pass this bill before the end of the session in June, but they do not rule out the possibility that it will be done by the end of the year. 2023.