Preamble

Dear Sir:
I wish to bring to your attention irregularities in the conduct of the Collège des médecins du Québec. It is recognized that the Collège des médecins du Québec is a self-regulating professional body. It is also recognized that it only enjoys such self-regulating status by virtue of the citizens of Québec having conferred this special status upon it in recognition of the benefits the medical profession provides to society and the specialized knowledge required to deliver those benefits.

This relationship between the people and their médecins is not written in stone. It was not handed down to us by Duplessis, or the Church. It is an element in a social contract and, as part of any such social contract, is open to renegotiation at any time should the Collège des médecins du Québec prove itself incapable of adequately performing in its assigned role.

It is my understanding that you serve the citizens of Québec as their Ministre de la santé et des services sociaux and, by virtue of acting in such a capacity, you serve to represent the interests of the citizens of Québec and are therefore duly empowered to act on their behalf to secure and protect their interests in all matters in the sphere of medical practice.

The matter I present to you is a simple one. But, like all things simple, it grows in complexity the more it is examined. I have therefore submitted this brief as a means to introduce you to the multiple issues of concern. A copy of this document is being forwarded to the Collège des médecins du Québec and will serve as an element in my submission to the Secrétariat du comité de rèvision of the Collège.

Since this matter concerns issues of concern to each citizen of Québec, I am taking steps to ensure this document is made publicly available for review by any member of the Québec polity. As I am sure you are aware, Québec has a long and proud tradition of social solidarity. It is this generosity toward each other that has done so much to forge the distinctive character of Québec while at the same time acting to leaven and give humane balance to the overbearing Anglo-American influence prevalent in the rest of Canada. And I write these words as a “maudits Anglais,” one with a deep appreciation and love of both Québec and Canada.