The Quebec government under Premier Legault and the Quebec Federation of Specialist Doctors (FMSQ) have agreed to restart negotiations next week.
In a joint statement released on Friday, both parties announced their decision to resume talks following productive discussions earlier in the week.
France-Élaine Duranceau, the Treasury Board President, and Dr. Vincent Oliva, President of FMSQ, held a phone conversation on Thursday to affirm their commitment to restarting negotiations.
Dr. Oliva shared on Facebook, “After the discussions earlier this week, we mutually agreed that the time is right to resume negotiations in order to renew our framework agreement.”
He further stated, “Beginning next week, our teams will work diligently towards a common goal: achieving a mutually beneficial agreement that prioritizes better healthcare for our patients.”
Earlier in the week, Dr. Oliva and other FMSQ members met with Duranceau and the newly appointed Health Minister, Sonia Bélanger.
Duranceau commented on social media on Friday, saying, “Efforts are ongoing to enhance healthcare accessibility for Quebec residents. Further comments will be withheld out of respect for the negotiation process.”
Dr. Oliva revealed that he was given a mandate to reopen negotiations with the government after a comprehensive discussion with association leaders.
The majority of doctors within the Quebec Federation of General Practitioners have already endorsed the preliminary agreement reached with the government last December.
This preliminary agreement included the elimination of contentious elements from Bill 2, such as performance-based penalties, color-coded restrictions, and clauses that prohibited doctors from collective actions under the threat of severe fines.
