A march against the inequalities in the health care system
A healthcare system that is publicly-funded, accessible and universal provides a safeguard against social inequalities and is one of the founding pillars of a just society. We must defend our healthcare system against the sweeping austerity measures and the centralization of administrative power undertaken by the current government.
While our colleagues from other healthcare fields work in increasingly difficult conditions and our patients often cannot access much-needed services, only physicians’ income seems to be immune to budget cuts!
Our belief in a strong public healthcare system drives our opposition to the recent raises in physician remuneration negotiated by our medical federations. We support the calls for a general mobilization of all healthcare workers and the population at large to demand a just and equitable distribution of public resources in the healthcare system.
We invite all concerned to join us for our UniEs pour la Santé (Together for Healthcare) protest at 1PM on Saturday, March 24, 2018. The starting point will be Émilie-Gamelin Square.
We demand :
1) An immediate cancellation of the increases in physician remuneration, as well as a public consultation about remuneration models and amounts paid to physicians via public funds.
2) The recognition of the importance of all workers within the health care system, in solidarity with their struggles for dignified and fulfilling working conditions.
3) A reinvestment in public health initiatives and the expansion of services covered by public health insurance, including psychological care, dental care, eye care, rehabilitation (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, audiology, speech and language therapy, etc.) as well as a comprehensive, free and public drug insurance plan for the entire population of Quebec.
4) Access to quality healthcare for everyone living in Quebec, especially marginalized communities who are often deprived of access due to structural factors.
This demonstration is not affiliated with any political parties. We invite all organisations — community organisations, unions and workers’ collectives, professional and student associations, patient advocacy groups and users’ committees – concerned about these issues to support the protest.
To show your support for the “Together for Healthcare” march , contact us at the following email address: uniespourlasante@gmail.com.
We also want to emphasize that this protest aims to be familial and convivial. Welcome to all!
In solidarity,
The Board of Directors of Médecins québécois pour le régime public (MQRP)
The “demonstration” subcommittee of Médecins québécois pour le régime public (MQRP)