Montréal, le 10 September 2025 — The Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec–FIQ takes note of François Legault’s cabinet reshuffle and, at the same time, urges Health Minister Christian Dubé to review some of his priorities. “Stability in health care should not be synonymous with immutability. In 2023, Minister Dubé had predicted that the columns of the temple would shake with the creation of Santé Québec. It has to be said that the columns have not shaken and are in danger of collapsing. The network is currently in a state of significant chaos making it increasingly difficult to provide care and services. We hope that Mr. Dubé will use the next twelve months to correct the situation and show the necessary openness to listen to those who are in the field, stated Julie Bouchard, President of the FIQ.

For the Federation, the last year of Mr. Dubé’s term should be used to respond to the needs and concerns of patients and healthcare professionals, rather than to constantly play with the structures between the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux and Santé Québec. “The CAQ’s years in power have been difficult for the health network. The many promised improvements have not materialized, so if Mr. Dubé truly wants to leave a positive mark, he will have to change course on some of his policies. Continuity in the position of Health Minister can certainly be a good thing, but it must be accompanied by major adjustments to the Health Minister’s aims. Our door is always wide open to find real solutions together which would significantly improve the network, and not only when there is a crisis. We are keen to establish formal, ongoing and regular discussions with Mr. Dubé so that we can exchange views on issues affecting the network”, continued the president.

High expectations

The FIQ wants to remind Christian Dubé that he promised to decentralize power with the creation of Santé Québec. “It should be pointed out that what we are seeing in the healthcare institutions is quite the opposite. And this centralization has major consequences on deploying some of the provisions of the collective agreement. The mandates of our counterparts in the institutions are melting like snow in the sun, and simply being paid the various negotiated premiums is difficult, if not impossible, for many healthcare professionals”, explained Ms. Bouchard.

Furthermore, the Federation is concerned about the work overload resulting from a lack of safe healthcare professional-to-patient ratios. “If the indicators on the minister’s dashboard indicate a reduction in independent labour and mandatory overtime in many institutions in the province, we notice that it’s often the healthcare professionals who pay the price, due to a lack of real workforce planning and efficient organization of work. The accounting perspective must give way to a more human perspective based on the needs of patients and those who provide care”, stated the union spokesperson.

Lastly, the Federation fully shares Minister Dubé’s aspirations regarding the need to tackle access to frontline care. “The solution cannot be discussed exclusively between the doctors and the Health Minister. Between the two, there are a large number of healthcare professionals who can contribute positively to improving this front line, including specialized nurse practitioners, for example. However, they must be given a voice and the necessary space to contribute their skills and expertise. Over the coming months, we will be monitoring the Minister’s intentions in this regard very closely”, concluded Ms. Bouchard.

About the FIQ

Created in 1987, the FIQ represents nearly 90,000 healthcare professionals (nurses, licensed practical nurses, respiratory therapists and clinical perfusionists) working in the healthcare institutions across Québec. The FIQ is a feminist organization composed of nearly 90% women, dedicated to defending its members, while ensuring the quality of care offered to the public and the sustainability of the public health network.