In an unprecedented show of unity, approximately 12,000 physicians and medical students transformed Montreal's Bell Centre into a sea of blue felt squares and protest signs on Sunday, November 9, 2025, staging one of the largest medical protests in Quebec history.
A Rock Concert Atmosphere for a Serious Cause
The massive gathering resembled a rock concert more than a traditional protest, with doctors bused in from every region of Quebec. Many participants brought their children, holding placards depicting broken hearts and bearing the powerful slogan "Care, not chaos." The crowd repeatedly chanted "No to Bill 2" throughout the event, which featured a live band composed entirely of physicians and speeches from medical federation leaders.
Organized by Quebec's four main medical federations representing family doctors, specialists, students, and residents, the protest targeted newly enacted health legislation that fundamentally changes how physicians are paid and imposes steep fines of up to $20,000 per day for doctors who disrupt medical services through protests.
Doctors Fear Bill Will Worsen Health-Care Access
The Coalition Avenir Québec government argues Bill 2 is necessary to provide 1.5 million Quebecers without family doctors access to care. However, physicians present at the rally uniformly condemned the legislation as ill-founded and counterproductive.
Dr. George Michaels, a 70-year-old family physician with 40 years of experience, said the legislation caused him to reconsider continuing his practice. "Their bill is going to have a negative impact on health care in the province," Michaels warned, comparing it to "throwing accelerant on a small fire." He noted that payments to general practitioners could fall 30 to 40 percent, potentially jeopardizing the future of hundreds of medical clinics across the province.
Outside the Bell Centre as flurries fell, Dr. Yael Acre expressed concerns about the legislation's practical implications. "How is a surgeon waiting to do their surgery expected to hit their efficiency numbers if there are no cleaners to clean the operating room or if the nurse doesn't show up?" she questioned. Acre described the law as "a punch in the gut for all the hard work we do" and warned that doctors are considering leaving Quebec, retiring early, or abandoning medicine entirely due to the legislation.
Historical Context and Government Response
The protest marks the first time all four of Quebec's medical federations have united for a common cause. Pâris Psychogyios, spokesperson for the Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec, emphasized that the rally aimed to demonstrate dismay with the law while bringing together medical professionals experiencing significant distress.
The Quebec government invoked closure on October 25 to force Bill 2 into law, arguing changes were urgently needed. The legislation has already prompted significant consequences, including:
- Hundreds of physicians applying for work permits in other provinces
- Social Services Minister Lionel Carmant resigning in solidarity with his physician wife and daughter
- Two medical federations launching lawsuits against the legislation
Attempts by the government to revive negotiations with doctors by suspending parts of the law have so far failed. The current protest follows previous large-scale medical demonstrations in Quebec history, including specialist gatherings at the Olympic Stadium in 2002 and 2017 protesting different health reforms.
Dr. Marc-André Amyot, president of the Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens du Québec, stated in his rally invitation that Bill 2 "profoundly transforms medical practice in Quebec and calls into question the very foundations of the relationship between the state and the profession." Organizers specifically advised doctors working on Sunday not to cancel patient activities to attend, noting that "our mobilization must in no way compromise access to care for the population."
