Debate on major health reform cut short after CAQ government invokes closure | 24CA News
The Coalition Avenir Québec authorities will use closure to push its sweeping health-care reform invoice into regulation earlier than the provincial legislature breaks for the winter holidays.
The transfer got here Friday after the federal government’s proposal to increase the legislative committee’s work on Bill 15 for 4 further days failed.
Doing so would have required approval from all three opposition events, however there have been considerations about dashing via the evaluation of a whole bunch of clauses. Earlier this week, the PQ steered resuming work on the invoice within the new yr.
“It’s been 238 hours that (Health Minister) Christian Dubé has been listening to the Opposition’s suggestions,” Premier François Legault informed reporters within the morning. “Do you think more is needed?”
Dubé, for his half, stated Quebecers are “upset” and “they need a change on the health system.”
“I’m tired of going to see in emergencies that the people are not being taken care of,” he stated.
By invoking closure, the federal government limits additional debate and hastens the adoption of one of many largest items of proposed laws within the province’s historical past.
Bill 15 would create Santé Québec, a brand new centralized company to supervise the general public health-care system. The invoice incorporates greater than 1,200 articles and can make adjustments to greater than 30 present legal guidelines.
The reform has additionally been criticized over considerations Santé Québec, as an alternative of regional of well being authorities, would have the ability to revoke a health-care establishment’s bilingual standing if sure situations aren’t met.
Marc Tanguay, interim chief of the Quebec Liberals, stated invoking closure means the committee will “not have the time to study properly what’s behind the government’s intention and we will not be able to do our job. So, it’s dangerous.”
Both the PQ and Quebec solidaire agreed. They argue invoking closure on this invoice is harmful, pointing on the market are nonetheless sections on medical help in dying and pre-hospital care which have but to be mentioned.
“It’s unfortunate for democracy, it’s unfortunate for citizens, it’s unfortunate for workers in the system,” PQ Health Critic Jöel Arseneau stated.
The resolution to restrict debate was additionally slammed by health-care professionals Friday.
The Médecins québécois pour le régime public, which represents docs within the public system, described it because the “worst decision” Dubé might have made “considering the significant and widespread dissent against his reform.”
“We must take the time to study these fundamental changes for our health and social services system,” the group wrote on X, previously often called Twitter.
The strategy of fast-tracking Bill 15 might take hours. The authorities remains to be in a position to make adjustments and additions to the reform, so it could proceed to be debated till late tonight and even into tomorrow.
— with recordsdata from Global’s Elizabeth Zogalis and The Canadian Press
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
