After sitting all night, early on Saturday morning, Quebec’s legislature members finally passed Bill 15 to reform the healthcare network, with a majority vote of 75 to 27.

Health Minister Christian Dubé said Friday evening that he was tired of it and eager to move forward, noting that his bill had already been studied for more than 200 hours in the parliamentary committee.

In a Saturday morning press conference, Dubé welcomed the passage of the bill, saying he was convinced it would have positive effects on hospital patients, which opposition parties strongly doubted.

In particular, Dubé pointed out that his reform would provide Quebec residents with better access to specialist doctors.

Furthermore, patients will be able to request treatment anywhere, regardless of their postal code, and an alternative solution will be offered, either in another area or in the private network (free of charge), when wait times are deemed unreasonable.

Dubé said, “It is a great day because it is the first day of the transitional phase about to begin, which will transform our great healthcare network.”

He also made sure to reassure network staff who will undergo “major changes” over the coming months. He pledged to “clearly explain” these changes, especially what will happen to the Ministry of Health.

The Bill 15 establishes a new agency called Santé Québec, which will be responsible for coordinating network operations. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health will focus on setting key policies. Staff transfers are expected.

Santé Québec will become the sole employer in healthcare, with the integration of regional health boards CISSS and CIUSSS into it. Union credits will be merged, and a single seniority list will also be introduced, allowing staff to move from one area to another.

Bill 15 is part of the Legault government’s campaign to achieve greater “flexibility” for healthcare workers, most of whom are currently on strike until December 14 as part of renegotiating their collective agreements.

Similarly, opposition parties strongly condemned the use of the strike to adopt this major healthcare network reform. On Friday evening, they insisted on demanding that Dubé explain every article or amendment he adopts.

Quebec Solidaire (QS) parliamentary leader Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois was the last to oppose passing the bill before Saturday morning’s vote.

He said, “It is a bad idea for our democracy and our healthcare system to impose Quebec’s biggest public services reform in Quebec’s history under lockdown. This government chose confrontation.”

The government offered to extend the detailed study of Bill 15 to next week, an implicit “acknowledgment” that there is still much work to be done, according to QS MNA Guillaume Cliche-Rivard.