The tension between Gaétan Barrette and the FMSQ harmed négos, ” says Couillard

Photo archive Pascal Huot

Patrick Bellerose

Tuesday, January 23, 2018 12:42

UPDATE
Tuesday, January 23, 2018 12:47

Look at this article

BEIJING – Gaétan Barrette has been removed from the negotiations on the implementation of two important laws because of its difficult relations with the Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec (FMSQ).

“There is a tension that is clear, personal, and personal attacks against mr. Barrette which have also taken place,” said the prime minister Philippe Couillard on Tuesday to explain the removal of the file to the minister of Health.

Archival Photo Joel Lemay

Last December, he gave a bargaining committee the mandate to agree with the FMSQ on the application of the act 20, which provides for penalties of up to 30 % of the income for physicians who do not reach certain performance targets by the 31 December next.

The federation also disputed the scope of the law 130, which allows the directorates to hospitals to punish doctors who do not meet the needs of institutions.

Since then, the Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens du Québec (FMOQ) has also got to negotiate with the committee, rather than with the minister Barrette.

Négos arduous

“They say:” it is difficult to negotiate with the minister, ” explains Philippe Couillard. Perfect, we’ll see if it gets better if the minister is working at the same time.”

“To date, I am not convinced that it’s going to change the attitude of the medical federations. It is up to them to demonstrate,” he adds.

The negotiating mandate has been entrusted to a group composed of the chief negotiator for the government, Maurice Charlebois, and the former secretary general of the government, Roberto Iglesias, a close relative of Philippe Couillard.

Not a sign of rejection

Philippe Couillard insists, however, that the minister of Health has not been completely ruled out of the negotiations process.

“He is still very active in these negotiations, mr. Barrette. It is at the heart of our thinking about the proposals that we have done to the federation, ” he said. It was decided to set up this committee negotiations, but it is false to say that the minister of Health is not involved in the negotiations.”

He himself, at the time when he was minister of Health, has rarely been involved at the negotiation table, ” stresses Philippe Couillard.