Over 500 Canadian doctors protest raises; oppose salary increases negotiated by medical federations

More than 500 doctors and residents, as well as over 150 medical students in Canada, have signed a public letter protesting their own pay raises.

"We, Quebec doctors who believe in a strong public system, oppose the recent salary increases negotiated by our medical federations," the letter says.

The group say they are offended that they would receive raises when nurses and patients are struggling.

"These increases are all the more shocking because our nurses, clerks and other professionals face very difficult working conditions, while our patients live with the lack of access to required services because of the drastic cuts in recent years and the centralization of power in the Ministry of Health," reads the letter, which was published February 25.

"The only thing that seems to be immune to the cuts is our remuneration," the letter says.

Canada has a public health system which provides "universal coverage for medically necessary health care services provided on the basis of need, rather than the ability to pay,"   the government's website says.

The 213 general practitioners, 184 specialists, 149 resident medical doctors and 162 medical students want the money used for their raises to be returned to the system instead.     "We believe that there is a way to redistribute the resources of the Quebec health system to promote the health of the population and meet the needs of patients without pushing workers to the end," the letter says.

"We, Quebec doctors, are asking that the salary increases granted to physicians be canceled and that the resources of the system be better distributed for the good of the health care workers and to provide health services worthy to the people of Quebec."