Negotiations between the Quebec government and medical specialists have hit a pause. The Quebec Federation of Medical Specialists (FMSQ) revealed that government negotiators have stepped back to review their mandate.
On the other hand, the Quebec Federation of General Practitioners (FMOQ) has confirmed that talks are temporarily on hold and promised to share more updates by Wednesday.
Recently, both medical federations agreed to seek mediation in hopes of overcoming the deadlock and refreshing their agreements.
Despite initial progress in the talks, the FMSQ remains hopeful of resuming negotiations once the mandate is clarified.
During the mediation session, it became clear that the main sticking point revolves around Bill 106, which proposes tying a portion of doctors’ pay to performance metrics. Health Minister Christian Dubé paused the bill to allow the mediation process to proceed.
Specialists and general practitioners have been resorting to pressure tactics, such as boycotting administrative tasks and teaching activities. The FMSQ’s decision to halt student training could potentially delay the graduation of new physicians.
While family doctors had planned a similar boycott for October 1, the FMOQ opted to wait for the mediation outcome before implementing further tactics. Members of FMOQ supported boycotting teaching duties with a resounding 91% vote on September 23.
