December 2025 – A year full of success

Did you know that I have the privilege of leading an exceptionally high-performing but very small team that works miracles every day with a very modest budget? I share this because we are experiencing a deeply challenging and pressurized time for our profession across Canada. Quite simply the rights and responsibilities of OB/GYNs and of the women we treat has never been so questioned, debated, insulted and threatened – and this is due in part, to concerning measures being taken by some governments. Our team at the SOGC has been working hard to respond to these issues that affect our members and patients, including some that you deserve to know more about, particularly in Quebec.

The current provincial government in Quebec, the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), has introduced several deeply disturbing bills recently which have a disproportionate and negative affect on women and physicians. I will not go into the details of each bill; I will limit myself to their potential impacts.

Let’s start with Bill 1 – Québec Constitution Act, 2025. This bill aims to create a new constitution for Quebec that includes a proposal to enshrine the right to an abortion. A false good idea! The moment we reopen the Canadian legislative framework surrounding abortion — which is currently treated strictly as a health-care procedure involving only the woman and her health-care provider — we risk introducing rules, limits, conditions and parameters that could restrict this right and shift decision-making to third parties who could try to impose their personal or ideological values. Also in this bill, Indigenous rights and Quebec’s pluralism might no longer be fully recognized.

The SOGC is deeply concerned about the national ramifications of the abortion provisions in Quebec’s constitution bill and has submitted a brief outlining our concerns to the legislative committee holding public consultations on the bill. We have also requested to testify at upcoming public hearings on this bill and will use our voice on the protection of women’s reproductive rights in Canada.

Meanwhile, there is also Bill 2 of the Assemblée nationale du Québec, passed after an all-night sitting of Oct. 24 to 25, 2025 and is now being challenged in court. Under the pretext that governments have always yielded to the medical federations (including during my own presidency of the FMSQ from 2014 to 2021), Premier François Legault came down with the hammer! The bill ties physician salaries to performance targets and includes hefty penalties for those who take action to challenge the changes. At a time when women’s health care is already challenged and under-resourced, women will be worse off under this shift toward an American-style medical system that is performance-driven rather than results-driven. Those who don’t follow the rules should sell their cottages because they will lose 25 per cent of their pay for not participating in the program. This has led to real fears of an exodus of physicians from Quebec, which will only worsen outcomes for women. Premier Doug Ford has even encouraged unhappy Quebec physicians to call his personal cell number if they want to move to Ontario. The backlash to Bill 2 from the medical community has been fierce: the four Quebec medical federations — family doctors, specialists, residents and students — organized a historic demonstration at the Bell Centre. The SOGC stands with these organizations and with our colleagues in Quebec in calling for a change to this legislation.

There is also Bill 3 – An Act to Improve Transparency, Governance, and the Democratic Process of Various Workplace Associations. In short, it’s a law aimed at limiting union activities, demonstrations to protect workers’ rights, increasing essential-service obligations, and above all removing the Rand Formula — a Canadian legislative measure included in collective agreements that allows unions to collect dues directly from payroll. This is the main reason why Quebec is so well structured and organized in defending workers. Unlike us at the SOGC, they don’t have to fight to collect every dollar while provincial, territorial and national colleges can justify mandatory dues.

So, if you see your Quebec colleagues over the holidays, give us all a big hug because we need it, and we will keep up the good fight to advocate for reversal of this punitive legislation. A provincial election is on the horizon for next fall in Quebec, and anyone hoping to form government would be wise to consult our profession.

Despite all of this, the SOGC is doing very well as we continue to work for our members. Our Ontario CME held in November was exceptional, featuring a fantastic new Maternal Fetal Medicine Summit, highly appreciated sessions and a dynamic, high-performing board of directors. We cannot achieve this without you! December is the month where SOGC membership will auto renew, but we ask that any of you with expiring credit cards this month, please reach out to the membership team to ensure your membership is in good standing. We must continue the momentum that has grown our community to more than 3,600 members from a low of 2,400 in 2022.  

This is an ideal moment to get involved in the SOGC, lend your expertise and help shape our work. We have extended the application period for those interested in joining the board of directors, committees or working groups, or in nominating a colleague for a Regional Achievement Award. We also have restructured our committees and working groups to make participation easier, with shorter, more focused meetings with clear objectives that respect your time. Take a look at each opportunity and submit your nominations by visiting the Committees page on our website. The new deadline for all applications and nominations is Monday, Dec. 8th at midnight. We want your expertise, your ideas, your brain power and your passion to make a difference in education and in the lives of women and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

While the federal government remains focused solely on industry and economic issues, in 2026 the SOGC will keep women’s health at the forefront. We will press for stronger action to reduce growing wait times that have contributed to deteriorating health outcomes, along with addressing the unacceptable closures of maternity wards across the country.

Join us in making a difference, in each of your provinces and territories – many of you are already extraordinary supporters!

We will continue to stand up to defend women and our profession.

Dr. Diane Francoeur 
FRCSC, MHCM, ICD.D
Chief Executive Officer