‘Financial benefits’: Quebec premier changes his tune with doctors

Quebec Premier Francois Legault responds to the Opposition during question period at the legislature in Quebec City, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press)

Quebec Premier François Legault is now banking on “financial benefits” to break the deadlock with doctors.

At a news conference in Rouyn-Noranda on Tuesday, he discussed his recent meetings with the presidents of the Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens (FMOQ) and the Fédération des médecins spécialistes (FMSQ).

“I remain optimistic and hope that we will reach an agreement very soon,” he said. “What we are asking them is to take on more responsibility, (...) and we are prepared to give them financial benefits in exchange.”

This is the second time in a few days that the premier has mentioned financial incentives for doctors.

On Friday, on Radio-Canada’s programme La parole aux mordus de politique, he said he was open to discussing a possible increase in their remuneration with them in order to resolve the conflict.

“If they take on 500,000 more patients, (...) there could be some openings, but reasonable ones,” he replied to host Sébastien Bovet, who asked him if he was prepared to increase doctors’ remuneration.

Until now, the Legault government had always wielded the stick rather than the carrot.

Bill 2, passed under a gag order in October, ties 10 per cent of doctors’ remuneration to performance targets.

In addition, the bill freezes their overall remuneration package until 2028. It prohibits doctors from taking “concerted action” that could interfere with access to care, under penalty of heavy fines.

“There will be turmoil, but we will not back down,” Legault said last May, a phrase he has repeated on numerous occasions to show his determination to bring about change in health care.

As expected, Bill 2 has provoked the ire of medical federations, which have taken steps to challenge it in court. Hundreds of doctors are threatening to leave Quebec or close their clinics.

Both sides are nevertheless trying to find a way forward between now and Jan. 1, 2026, when the law comes into force.

“What we are asking of doctors is reasonable. It does not warrant closures,” Legault argued on Tuesday.

In a sign that it is softening its tone considerably, in addition to touting “financial benefits,” the government recently backed down on three measures, without, however, removing them from the law.

On Nov. 13, it renounced measures to monitor and report doctors.

The previous week, it had “reached out” to medical federations by suspending two other provisions.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Dec. 10, 2025.