Legault has names of doctors 'who are not doing a good job'

'We have a problem': Legault on GPs Quebec Premier Francois Legault says 'it's about time' we solve the problem of a shortage of family doctors.

QUEBEC CITY — Premier François Legault has the names of the family doctors who are not doing enough work for his taste.

That's what he told the National Assembly on Tuesday.

He wants to give these names to the heads of regional health boards, the CISSS and CIUSSS, so that they can meet with them, but he says he doesn't know if the law allows it.

The CAQ government is preparing for a confrontation with family doctors, whom it is accusing of not taking care of enough patients. The party is preparing legislation to force doctors to take on more patients.

In 2018, the CAQ had committed to providing a family doctor to all Quebecers before the end of the mandate. At the time, there were 400,000 patients on the waiting list. Now there are twice as many, more than 800,000, making it difficult, if not impossible, to keep the promise by October 2022.

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Oct. 26, 2021.