Québec’s Political Pulse

When life gets busy, the Boudeweel Public Affairs team is here to keep you informed. Our Québec Now roundup brings you up to speed on the top headlines, political developments and more that defined the last month in Canada’s largest province.

Doctors furious with the adoption of Bill 2

After negotiations broke down, Health Minister Christian Dubé forced through his reform of physicians’ compensation, via Bill 2. The law ties part of doctors’ pay to performance targets that many view as unrealistic. It also introduces monitoring measures and heavy fines for any concerted action that disrupts health services. This was undeniably the story dominating the Québec news cycle, with the government struggling to extinguish the fire it started by imposing the reform. Check out our coverage in this issue of Québec Now for more details.

Bill 2 Fallout: CAQ’s only doctor-minister jumps ship

The passage of Premier Legault’s prized physician pay reform came with a heavy price: the resignation of now-former minister Lionel Carmant; a founding member of the CAQ. A physician by training, Carmant was torn between his political affiliation and his family—his wife and daughter are also doctors who strongly opposed the reform. In the end, Carmant chose family over politics, delivering a blow to the Premier, who is his close friend.

CAQ MNAs reportedly courting other parties

It was bound to happen: the damaging effects of the doctors’ reform, coupled with the CAQ’s current unpopularity, are creating fractures in what was once a tightly disciplined caucus. One MNA has already been expelled after it was revealed she had been in contact with the Liberals about crossing the floor. She’s apparently not alone, as both the Parti Québécois and the Liberals confirmed in recent days that unnamed CAQ members have reached out to them. Meanwhile, some within the party—speaking anonymously—are wondering if it might be time for the premier to consider his political future. For now, Legault remains defiant and insists he has no plans to step down.

Municipal elections: change in Montréal, continuity elsewhere in Québec

On November 2, Quebecers went to the polls to elect their mayors and city councillors. Unsurprisingly after a lackluster campaign, many voters opted for continuity, notably in Québec City, Longueuil, Laval, and Rimouski where the incumbent mayors returned to office. In Montréal, however, voters showed the left-leaning Projet Montréal the door after eight years of unchallenged rule. The new mayor is Ensemble Montréal’s Soraya Martinez Ferrada, a former federal minister under Trudeau. Another surprise in an otherwise subdued election: former municipal affairs minister Andrée Laforest, who left the CAQ to run for mayor of Saguenay, was defeated by businessman Luc Boivin.

Minister Boulet not ruling out intervention in STM strike

Those planning to travel to Montréal in the coming days may want to cancel their trip. The strike by Société de Transport de Montréal workers has made getting around the city a nightmare especially since it means the metro is shut down. Newly elected mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada has indicated that ending the strike by November 15 is a top priority. Meanwhile, Labour Minister Jean Boulet hasn’t ruled out intervening if no deal is reached by then. Time will tell if this pressure will be enough to push both sides towards an agreement.

A new bill to reduce bureaucracy

Continuing its political shift to the right, the CAQ recently introduced Bill 7, which is aimed at cutting red tape and improving government efficiency. The relatively modest bill calls for the abolition of a few public bodies and the merger of others. According to the Treasury Board President, it represents the first step in a broader effort. It would eliminate about 200 full-time positions out of roughly 80,000 in Québec’s public service— a barely noticeable 0.25% reduction.

Immigration Reform: Québec lowers permanent residency cap to 45,000

After hearing from dozens of stakeholders in parliamentary committee, Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge made his decision: over the next few years, Québec will welcome a maximum of 45,000 new permanent residents annually. This slight decrease is likely to upset the business community and academia alike, both of which had unanimously advocated for higher immigration levels given the province’s acute labour shortages.