André Fortin warns of mounting crises in Outaouais

Tashi Farmilo

The Outaouais is at a tipping point, with mounting red flags in health care, forestry, and public services prompting urgent warnings from Pontiac MP André Fortin and his Liberal colleagues. At the heart of their concerns is a pattern of neglect from the CAQ government, which they say has failed to address the region’s unique challenges, leaving its economy and public services in jeopardy.

Health care is one of the most glaring crises. Workers continue to leave the Outaouais for Ontario, drawn by better wages and working conditions, further straining an already struggling system. Fortin warns that unless competitive incentives are introduced, the region’s capacity to deliver care will erode beyond repair. “People in the Outaouais pay the same taxes as everyone else in Quebec,” he said, “but we’re being shortchanged. We deserve the same level of service, and that starts with retaining the people who provide it.”

The forestry industry, another cornerstone of the region, is also in freefall. Fortin points to job losses across Vallée-de-la-Gatineau and Pontiac, where mill closures have dealt a heavy blow to local economies. He blames the CAQ government for failing to deliver on long-promised reforms to the forestry regime, leaving businesses without the stability they need to invest. “The entire economy of the Outaouais is suffering,” Fortin said. “This is a crisis that demands immediate action, but the government is sitting on its hands.”

These local crises are unfolding against the backdrop of a record $11 billion deficit under the CAQ government, which has led to sweeping budget cuts. While Premier François Legault had promised to shield health care from austerity measures, Fortin argues that the Outaouais has borne the brunt of these reductions, worsening an already precarious situation. “For six years, the CAQ has failed to deliver meaningful health care improvements,” Fortin said. “Now, they’re compounding the problem with cuts in a region that was already underserved.”

Fortin and his colleagues see these issues as part of a broader pattern of mismanagement by the Legault government. “We’re not just seeing isolated problems,” Fortin said. “We’re seeing the consequences of a government without a plan or vision. They’ve abandoned the regions in favour of short-sighted austerity, and it’s costing the Outaouais dearly.”

As 2024 draws to a close, Fortin is urging the government to take immediate steps to address these crises: competitive pay for health care workers, reforms to stabilise the forestry industry, and equitable funding for public services. Without these measures, he warns, the Outaouais faces a continued decline that will leave its residents and economy further behind.