Letter on health reform: Pauline Marois says former prime ministers acted independently

Pauline Marois believes her trip this week with five other former premiers of Quebec to the François Legault government to reverse health reform was done according to the rules of art.

Commissioner of Lobbying Jean-François Routhier, Ms. Marois, Lucien Bouchard, Jean Charest, Pierre Marc Johnson, Daniel Johnson and Philippe Couillard criticized their approach for lack of transparency.

In a letter publicly sent to the Prime Minister last Tuesday, they asked him not to abolish the board of directors of health institutions as mentioned in Bill 15.

Some resent the fact that they have acted as spokespeople for companies trying to influence Health Minister Christian Dubey and for months behind the scenes, namely members of the health council. and specialized university institutions.

I am tall and experienced enough to make decisionsMs. at Saint-Hyacinthe on Saturday. supported Marois, where Parti Québécois activists gathered in a National Council.

I think they should know that there are four lawyers out of six prime ministers and there are rules to respect. This is the question I asked, is everything correct and comply with the lobbying law. I was told yes.

Why fix what isn’t broken?

In an interview with Radio-Canada, Ms. Marois returned to the charge and lamented the loss of autonomy that Quebec’s large health care institutions will suffer under Minister Christian Dubé’s reform.

Bill 15 specifically aims at consolidating four university hospital centers (Chum, MUHC, CHUQ, University Hospital Sainte-Justine) and three specialized institutes (Montreal Heart Institute, Philippe-Pennel Institute and the University Institute of Cardiology and Pneumology of Quebec) under the Ministry of Health and the New Quebec Health Institute.

Why fix what isn’t broken? Mrs. Marois began. These big companies have a history, expertise and recognition for the majority around the world. Why not let them continue to exist while partnering, obviously, sharing all this expertise?

Mrs. Marois Don’t refuse directions He understood Health Minister Christian Dubey’s reform and desire to further integrate care.

No objection [à cet égard] On the part of these institutions, however, there is an objection to the removal of the corpus they represent, because their synergy means that they are useful and actually help the public health system.

These are organizations with immense expertise, conducting research, providing care, conducting technical evaluation and teaching. […] and to patients, providers of services to the sickShe added.

Completion of tertiary education

Pauline Marois participated in the discussions on the promotion of public education appearing in the program of the National Council. PQ week end.

After campaigning for a complete end to private school subsidies, the Parti Québécois is now proposing 100% funding in exchange for school diversity.

At present, private schools receive subsidies from the government, which are 60% of what government schools receive per student in the regular sector.

With PQ proposals, private schools can be 100% funded by agreeing to become Approved, that is, if they have given up selecting students based on academic results or their behavior. In return, those who refuse the deal will lose part of their state funding, which will drop below 50%.

I believe this is a project that deserves serious study. We are faced with a paradox: private schools are abandoning public schools.

The proposals will be debated by activists over the weekend, who will have to adopt a stance the party will defend over the coming years on education.

The objective pursued with the new measures is as follows Ensure equal opportunities And put an end to it Three-speed schoolIt is based on public school with regular program, selective public school with special programs and private school.

According to PQThree-speed school Reproduces imbalances And Students receive a differentiated education based on their social origin or their academic performance.

PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon made it clear on Saturday that he will not force elected officials to send their children to public school.

It is certain that our education ministers have faith in our public system. St-Pierre Plamondon noted. As much as I think it is important to improve public schools, I will not undertake investigations. I make my choices.

With information from the Canadian Press