MontrealQuebec Premier François Legault warns that if a deal with the province’s doctors and medical specialists isn’t reached by Friday morning, his government will enact a special law to force through changes to compensation and put an end to pressure tactics. Quebec premier warns law will force doctors’ pay changes if unions don’t budgeCBC News · Posted: Oct 22, 2025 7:57 PM EDT | Last Updated: 11 hours agoFrançois Legault, premier of Quebec, said in a video Wednesday evening that his government will push through a law if a deal isn’t reached by Friday morning with family doctors and medical specialists. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press)Quebec Premier François Legault warns that if a deal with the province’s doctors and medical specialists isn’t reached by Friday morning, his government will enact a special law to force through changes to compensation and put an end to pressure tactics. “We are not doing this against doctors, we are doing this for Quebecers,” said Legault in a video address posted to X Wednesday evening. The premier said he has great respect for doctors’ skills, but that they have a responsibility to care for residents, especially the most vulnerable.Last week, Quebec family doctors stopped teaching their medical students, following the lead of medical specialists. Earlier this week, medical specialists announced the suspension of mediation as negotiations with the provincial government reached an impasse.Legault, speaking in the video, said the special law would also end pressure tactics that, he said, are delaying future doctors from joining the workforce.He said the public may hear outcry from doctors and specialists in the coming days, but this measure is needed to ensure residents get proper access to health care.In the almost three-minute video, Legault said he hopes the medical associations will be willing to compromise to reach an agreement.Immediately after the video was published, the medical specialists’ association released a statement saying, “We were taken for a ride. It was all scripted for a possible challenge to his law.”The association described it as scripted manoeuvre to show the government’s good faith before imposing the special law—allowing it to claim it exhausted negotiations and justify curbing doctors’ strike rights.This announcement comes hours after medical specialists rejected the province’s fourth offer to doctors, promising the necessary funding to address concerns over performance-based pay under Bill 106.Quebec medical specialists end mediation, call on premier to interveneThe proposal guarantees that regulations linking physician pay to performance cannot be changed for the first two years after the law takes effect. It also commits $50 million for 500 additional health professionals in family medicine groups starting in 2026, and $120 million over four years to improve the patient-physician matching system, which many specialists say is failing.To address operating room shortages, Quebec pledges $400 million over four years, adding eight new ORs and strengthening management. Santé Québec executives would also be subject to performance targets tied to their pay.Doctors have repeatedly warned they cannot meet performance targets without more resources. The new funding is intended to help them reach these goals, with the government planning an eventual 30 per cent increase in health professionals across the network.Vincent Oliva, head of the medical specialists’ association, criticized the offer, calling it “the same thing four times, even with setbacks,” and urged a non-binding arbitration mechanism. The association called Quebec’s new offer a “declaration of war.”After medical specialists, Quebec family doctors also stop teaching as negotiations stallThe family doctors’ association said it would review the proposal before commenting.Health Minister Christian Dubé emphasized the urgency of adopting Bill 106, saying Quebecers are frustrated by long waits for emergency care and specialist appointments.Written by Isaac Olson, with files from Radio-Canada
Legault threatens doctors with special law if no agreement reached by Friday
