A doctor explains why he might leave Quebec

Re: “So much for working to end the doctor shortage” (Editorial, Nov. 19)

The charter of values (or the Charter of Pants, as it is called fittingly by Don Macpherson) will affect not only the recruitment of new and foreign-trained physicians desperately needed in our understaffed system, but will profoundly affect the decisions of many already established physicians to continue to stay and practise in the province.

I have practised as a specialist in Quebec for 32 years. I was born here, educated here, graduated from McGill medical school in 1976 and was one of the first anglophone professionals required to submit to a written and oral Frenchlanguage test during my internship in 1976-77, which I passed successfully. I have utilized my knowledge of the French language very willingly and happily on a daily basis (roughly 30 per cent of my day). I have never encountered a problem.

Now Quebecers are facing a very serious, threatening problem with this charter, which very cleverly may ultimately lead to a PQ victory in the upcoming election and a subsequent referendum, which may be won solely on the basis of reduced numbers of “No” voters, many of whom will have been chased away by this current frenzy of nationalism and xenophobia.

Sadly, I may be one of those who leaves. I cannot see myself and my family remaining in a Quebec ruled by Premier Pauline Marois’s separatists and those who would vote for her. When a homegrown bilingual Quebec professional such as myself, who has remained here through all the trials and tribulations of the past 50 years, decides to leave, then the province has a much bigger problem than that to which your editorial alludes.