Lionel Carmant has decided to step down from his role as the social services minister within the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government and will now serve as an Independent member. This move, described as difficult and emotional by Carmant, was announced in the presence of Premier François Legault on Thursday morning. Citing a need to prioritize his family after recent challenges, Carmant expressed his reason for the decision during a press conference.
Following Carmant’s resignation, Sonia Bélanger, the current minister responsible for housing, will assume the role of social services minister in addition to her existing responsibilities for seniors, as disclosed by Legault later the same day. Meanwhile, Caroline Proulx, who previously oversaw seniors, will now take charge of housing affairs.
The resignation of Carmant coincides with a legal challenge initiated by doctors across Quebec against Bill 2, a special law imposed by the province that enforces a structured salary system for physicians. The federation representing medical specialists in Quebec has officially lodged a legal challenge against the law, labeling it as draconian and violative of charter rights. Several doctors have expressed intentions to depart from Quebec’s public healthcare system, with many already applying for licenses to practice in other provinces in response to Health Minister Christian Dubé’s legislation.
Notably, Carmant’s daughter, a specialist in maternal-fetal medicine, is among the doctors contemplating a move to another province due to restrictions placed on medical practice. In a published letter, she highlighted the broken healthcare system in Quebec and urged Dubé to reconsider the system as a whole. While Carmant did not directly address his daughter’s letter during the announcement, he emphasized that his decision was a matter of balancing responsibilities rather than a renouncement.
Reactions to Carmant’s resignation have been mixed, with Public Security Minister Ian Lafrenière acknowledging the difficulty of the situation and Marc Tanguay, the Quebec Liberal Party health critic, interpreting the daughter’s letter as a powerful message to the government. Québec Solidaire MNA Manon Massé expressed sadness over the loss of an “excellent minister” and the implications for political dialogue within the CAQ.
Before entering politics, Carmant served as a pediatric neurologist at CHU Sainte-Justine. Elected as the representative for Taillon in 2018, he held the position of junior minister for health and social services until 2022. In his departing message, Carmant expressed the challenge of leaving behind issues he deeply cares about. Premier Legault extended gratitude towards Carmant for his contributions and accomplishments during his tenure.