On the last day before the National Assembly breaks for the holidays, Health Minister Gaétan Barrette introduced legislation empowering hospital and health centre directors to order doctors to work more and to make themselves more available to work at night and on weekends.
The law includes sanctions such as the suspension of a doctor's licence to practise if they do not meet the benchmarks set by their hospital.
While doctors are considered self-employed, the new laws obligates them to work during non-peak hours when operating rooms are often left empty and ready to use.
The legislation also contains certain requirements to have doctor's performance, efficiency and availability used as criteria for the renewal of a physician's licence to practice.
The licenses also have to be renewed every year, instead of every two or three years as was the case.