For sixteen years, Sara Michaels and her physician father have jointly built Clinic MDCM in Montreal, a testament to their shared vision for medical care. However, the recent introduction of Bill 2 in Quebec casts a long shadow over their life's work, forcing dedicated doctors to question their lifelong commitment.
A Lifelong Dedication to Medicine
Michaels' connection to medicine began not in the boardroom, but in the quiet hallways of St. Mary's Hospital during her childhood. Her weekends often involved accompanying her father on his rounds. She recalls holding his hand as he checked on patients, an early lesson in the profound sense of duty that defined his career. Even as a young girl, she understood that his purpose was not driven by titles or status, but by a genuine, unwavering commitment to patient care.
This deep-seated dedication became the foundation of their clinic. With Sara's background in business administration and management, they transformed a dream into a reality. Clinic MDCM now cares for more than 70,000 patients and is supported by a team of over 60 physicians, all united by a philosophy rooted in empathy, integrity, and genuine human connection.
The Chilling Effect of Bill 2
Today, that hard-built foundation feels unstable. Michaels articulates a growing sense of doubt and discouragement among the medical community, directly attributing it to the proposed reforms in Bill 2. She observes the exhaustion in doctors like her father, which goes beyond long hours. It is a profound weariness stemming from the feeling that the system they have sacrificed for no longer values their devotion.
"There's a particular sadness in watching someone you love begin to wonder whether all those weekends, those nights, those years of devotion were worth it," she writes. This introspection is a painful consequence for professionals who have dedicated their lives to serving others.
The Heartbreak of a Reluctant Exodus
Michaels highlights the poignant reality that her father, and many like him, have had opportunities to leave Quebec for systems that might offer greater professional appreciation or a quieter life. Yet, they have consistently chosen to stay. Their anchor is not the system itself, but their patients and the deep human connections forged through medical practice.
This is what makes the current climate so disheartening. Bill 2 and similar reforms risk driving away the very people who form the backbone of Quebec's healthcare system—the individuals who show up for all the right reasons. The potential loss is not just of skilled practitioners, but of the care and compassion they embody.
For Michaels, the values she witnessed in her father at St. Mary's Hospital—care, community, and trust—are the same principles that have guided Clinic MDCM for 16 years. She concludes with a powerful plea: if Quebec desires a functional healthcare system, it must protect the core of medicine, which is, and always has been, an act of profound human connection and enduring humanity.
