Premier François Legault has adopted an approach with nurses that is too "confrontational," says Parti Québécois (PQ) health critic Joël Arseneau. In a press briefing at the national assembly Friday morning, Arseneau accused the Premier of sending a "very negative" message to nurses. The day before, Legault had asked nurses to be more flexible in the negotiations to renew their collective agreement. He said he wished to offer "exceptional" conditions to nurses working in private employment agencies to bring them back into the public network. Legault suggested that the unions don't want to come to the bargaining table. "We feel in the government's speech (...) that it would be up to nurses to show more flexibility. I think the message is very negative," said Arseneau. "It's not likely to get any better in the coming weeks with an approach (...) of confrontation, at least, of wanting to put the burden of problems on the backs of care professionals," he added. This reoprt by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Feb. 17, 2023.
