Jagmeet Singh calls on Liberal government to work with Quebec to fix the health-care crisis

MONTREAL— On Thursday, the Leader of Canada's NDP Jagmeet Singh was in Montreal calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to urgently work with the province to tackle the health-care crisis across Quebec. Parents have been terrified as their kids get sick and there's nowhere for them to go to get care. Health-care workers are calling this crisis with kids health care unprecedented and joining Singh in urging the federal Liberals to offer some relief.

“Parents are exasperated by long wait times and health-care workers are feeling exhausted and helpless as they struggle to keep up. The Sainte-Justine hospital here in Montreal is overwhelmed with sick children. It’s clear that urgent action is needed now to fix this,” said Singh. “Meanwhile, we have a Prime Minister who refuses to act in the face of this crisis and simply refuses to show leadership. New Democrats have been calling on Justin Trudeau to stop hiding and meet with premiers across the country to find solutions and fix this crisis.”

For weeks, health workers across Quebec have been sounding the alarm. Sick children were transferred far away from their homes because of the unprecedented number of patients in Montreal’s two pediatric emergency rooms. And, due to the surge of children sick with respiratory illnesses, hospitals are being forced to postpone surgeries. Singh says that Justin Trudeau has to react to this crisis the way that he did during the COVID-19 pandemic and be accountable to Quebecers who expect health care for their children when they need it.

“Doctors and nurses are exhausted, and parents are terrified. We are in the middle of a crisis, but the Liberals aren't feeling the urgency,” added Singh. “Quebecers expect and deserve better than this for their kids. Justin Trudeau needs to explain to parents why he won’t even show up and try to fix the health-care system he has underfunded for years. If I was prime minister, no parent would have to explain to me why this crisis requires an urgent response. I'll keep fighting to get kids the care they need when they need it.”