GOVERNANCE Archives

Can we afford a strong health and social service system? – Part 2

17 April 2023 |

When it comes to investing in public services, the political class is quick to dish up the same old phony pragmatism: there’s no money in the coffers (apart from the occasional band-aid measure) and money doesn’t grow on trees. In the first article in our series “Can we afford a strong health and social service system?” we looked at the state of public finances to rebut the first claim. This time we consider the revenue sources our government could draw upon to ensure better funding of the public health and social service system.

Can we afford a strong health and social service system? Part 1

3 April 2023 |

When it comes to investing in public services, the political class is quick to dish up the same old phony pragmatism: there’s no money in the coffers (apart from the occasional band-aid measure) and money doesn’t grow on trees. In this first article in our series “Can we afford a strong health and social service system?” we assess the first of these claims by looking at Québec’s current financial situation as outlined in the 2023-2024 budget. And as for the question of whether money grows on trees, stay tuned for our next article on the sources of revenue available to the government.

The secret to a strong health and social service system

4 March 2023 |

The discontent with the current state of the health and social service system is palpable. Given all the broken promises to Quebecers – to put an end to waiting lists and give everyone access to a family doctor – it’s little wonder government pledges to fix the problems with the health-care system are greeted with suspicion. In contrast to the threadbare solutions contained in the Legault government’s health-care reform plan (cost control, phony decentralization, expanding the role of the private sector, etc.), the APTS has a distinctly different vision for the health care and social service system. Our vision is outlined in our political platform and we’ll be promoting it with a campaign under the theme “A strong union for a strong public system.” It lays out the kind of health-care system Quebecers deserve and the principles that should guide any government that’s serious about making it better.

“Plan santé” – what is it?

18 October 2022 |

Three years. That’s the deadline the Legault government has set itself to put the health and social services system back together with an action plan designed to make it “more human” and “more effective”. But what is the actual content of Minister Dubé’s Plan santé¸ aka the “Plan to implement changes needed in health care”? What are the Ministry’s objectives, how will it try to reach them, and, especially, what will be the impact on our system? We’ve gone through the 90-page document to find the answers.

Psychological distress: who’ll take care of personnel in essential services?

12 June 2020 |

Last March, Health and Social Services Minister Danielle McCann took strict measures to curb the pandemic. However noble the government’s intentions, its actions may come at a steep cost. By modifying the collective agreements of public-sector employees in health and social service facilities, the government upped the powers of managers to offset labour shortages that had been rampant in these facilities for far too long. Managers were given carte-blanche, with practically no safeguards to prevent them from taking shortcuts when implementing such measures in the bureaucratic behemoths that are now our integrated centres (CISSS and CIUSSS).

Turbulence ahead in 2020

19 December 2019 |

At the 8^th APTS Convention held in Trois-Rivières, I had the privilege of being elected president of the APTS. It was a touching and humbling experience for me to accept this major challenge. As I take up my responsibilities, my values of teamwork and solidarity are front and centre, as is my commitment to work collaboratively with all the groups that form our union.

What we deserve… no more, no less

26 September 2019 |

As partners in the upcoming public-sector negotiations, the APTS and the FIQ were united in their response to the unwelcome statements made by Premier François Legault.

Rectifying the Pay Equity Act

21 February 2019 |

On February 12, the government introduced a bill to amend the Pay Equity Act. It was forced to do so after a federal Supreme Court ruling quashed certain amendments to the act that were introduced in 2009, including those that removed any possibility of retroactive compensation in cases of discrimination.