(Quebec) Former Health Minister Gaétan Barrette’s support for the CAQ health reform is seen as a bad omen by Quebec solidaire, the Parti Quebecois and even the Liberals. They fear an upheaval in the health network.
“Structural reforms that plunge our health care system into shambles and chicanery have been done in the past. The one who did it the most was Gaétan Barrette. And today, this former Liberal Minister of Health tells us: it’s a cursed good deal, the CAQ project”, launched the parliamentary leader of Québec solidaire Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois Tuesday, during a point of press at the National Assembly
Mr. Nadeau-Dubois, like the other opposition party leaders, avoided criticizing specific measures of Mr. Dubé’s reform, which would notably force medical specialists to ensure better access to their services and which would create Santé Québec , and will review the government of the health network in depth. The bill is due Wednesday.
But he deplores the intention of the Legault government to modify the structure of the health network, as revealed by La Presse, and associates this reform with that of Mr. Barrette.
Quickly, the former Liberal minister applauded the Dubé reform “with a vengeance” and saluted the “guts” of Prime Minister François Legault. He claimed that this reform will draw its fair share of criticism, which he associated with a “Third World War”.
“Me, when I see that, it worries me. Then these reforms… These reforms did not improve access to care in Quebec. People in Quebec, at the moment, are no more satisfied with the health care system before the Barrette reforms. It makes me worry, ”said Mr. Nadeau-Dubois.
The Parti Québécois has chosen the same line of attack. “Minister Christian Dubé’s first significant supporter is Gaétan Barrette. I will stop there, ”said PQ MP Pascal Bérubé.
He criticizes Mr. Dubé, who wants to talk about his “dreams” for the health network, while “the daily life of Quebecers, […] it is waiting, then frustration”.
PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon mocked Mr. Dubé, who has “this habit of finding grandiose words to describe his action”. “Let’s remember the mini-revolution, or the little revolution, where we gave bonuses to nurses in the private sector, an initiative that did not give much, apart from a squandering of public funds, shaker the temple columns, find top guns, Emergency Action Plan and Tactical Emergency Committee. Christian Dubé makes a lot of announcements, but which do not correspond to anything concretely for the population, ”he said.
Liberal leader Marc Tanguay believes “we don’t need a Third World War in Quebec. “Those on a waiting list don’t need World War III,” he said.
Is the PLQ embarrassed to see a former minister support a Coalition avenir Québec project? “I don’t know if Gaétan’s comments do more harm to us or to the reform that is coming from François Legault,” he dropped.
