Calling for a “massive mobilization,” the organization invites the public and community leaders of the Outaouais to come and sign the manifesto on October 30 – it was on this date that the deputies unanimously adopted the historic motion regarding the region – at Espace Canevas, in Gatineau. The activity is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
For the spokesperson for the coalition born last June, Jean Pigeon, each signature of the manifesto is “one more step towards dignified health care for all citizens of Outaouais”.
“Five years of waiting in the face of inequity in terms of underfunding is too much. On October 30, we have the opportunity to show that the Outaouais will no longer remain silent. Together, we will make our voices heard to achieve the health equity we deserve, he explains to Right. Participating in this mobilization means taking a concrete action for the future of our region.”
Demand fair funding
SOS Outaouais maintains that this action is taken to demand fair funding for the region as well as concrete solutions to counter the exodus of health professionals, particularly to Ontario; but also bring the voice of citizens to the National Assembly and the Minister of Health and Social Services, Christian Dubé.
On October 30, 2019, one year after the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) came to power, in the presence of some regional economic players including the mayor of Gatineau at the time, Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin, the minister responsible for ‘Outaouais Mathieu Lacombe had tabled a motion without notice in which it was recognized that the region had “accumulated a significant delay in recent years in terms of public funding in health, education, higher education and culture.”
In this symbolic motion adopted by the elected representatives of all political parties, it was then recognized in particular that this delay “had its share of consequences on the economic development of the region and on its capacity to equip itself with institutions in several fields of jurisdiction of Quebec.
“A collective cry”
However, five years have passed and the situation has changed little or nothing, laments Mr. Pigeon, who is also general director of the Fondation Santé Outaouais.
“This manifesto is our collective cry for regional health equity. We need every citizen, every organization to mobilize to end decades of inequity.”
— Jean Pigeon, spokesperson for the SOS Outaouais coalition
In his opinion, SOS Outaouais, despite its very recent creation, has managed to have an influence in the space of four months, convinced that the region will end up obtaining the changes it deserves thanks among other things to “the powerful movement which continues to grow.”
“In just a few months, SOS Outaouais has managed to unite thousands of voices, proving that we are a force to be reckoned with. October 30 will be a further demonstration of our influence and our determination,” said Mr. Pigeon.
Four axes in the manifesto
The manifesto on which the population will be able to sign, divided into four parts, specifies in particular that the chronic underfunding faced by the Outaouais “for too long” – almost 200 million dollars compared to the provincial average according to a study by the Outaouais Development Observatory (ODO) – “seriously compromises the quality of care and the ability of our institutions to recruit and retain health professionals”.
“This underfunding, documented by numerous reports, continues to undermine public health in the Outaouais. Every day, thousands of citizens find themselves faced with endless waiting lists, overloaded emergency rooms and limited essential services,” it says.
Reiterating that the status quo is no longer an option, the coalition also alludes to the exodus of network workers in the document, speaking of an “unprecedented crisis”.
“While 22 job titles are affected by significant salary gaps, the attractiveness of our region is collapsing. One-off bonuses, like those granted to medical imaging technologists, are no longer enough, says the manifesto. They treat the symptoms, but ignore the root causes of the exodus.”
Speaking of an “urgent call to action”, the October 30 manifesto calls on the National Assembly to take immediate and lasting measures to restore equity in the region, for example by demanding differentiated remuneration for all health workers in Outaouais given the competitiveness of Ontario. We are also calling for permanent investments in health and social services infrastructure in the region as well as the development of a regional recruitment and retention plan.