Ontario Premier Doug Ford has a simple message to Quebec doctors amid their ongoing compensation dispute with the provincial government: “Call me.”

“Call 1-800-Doug Ford, all the docs and come by, call me on my cellphone, it’s on the internet, people are taking advantage of it now,” Ford said Wednesday. “Come by and we’ll have you working real quick. I’d love to see the doctors, nurses, would like to see anyone in health care come to Ontario because we’re a growing community.”

The premier’s comments come amid an ongoing dispute doctors are having with the Quebec government over a controversial bill that changes how they’re paid.

In response, Premier Francois Legault said late Wednesday Ford’s comments were “totally unacceptable,” adding the Ontario premier was showing “a complete lack of judgment.”

Legault said his government is trying to bring significant changes to the health system, a delicate and emotional issue, particularly for doctors.

“We all have major challenges in improving our health care systems in all provinces,” Legault said. “This is not the time for provinces to be undermining each other. It’s time to work together.”

Bill 2 was passed over the weekend in Quebec, which will see a portion of doctors’ compensation linked to performance targets related to the number of patients, particularly vulnerable ones, they care for.

Legault called a special session to rush through the bill, which imposes fines of up to $20,000 per day on doctors who take “concerted action” to challenge the government’s policies.

1:33
Ford tells Quebec doctors to call him as some look to leave over compensation dispute

Such actions could include groups of three or more doctors refusing to teach medical students or deciding to leave the public health system or move to another province.

Get weekly health news

Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.

Doctors say the bill amounts to a pay cut and medical specialists on Tuesday said they’re planning a legal challenge, saying it violates individual freedom.

Despite the threat of fines for leaving the province, some have already been considering a move.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario told Global News in an email that as of Wednesday, it has received 70 applications for licensure since Oct. 23 from physicians from Quebec. The CPSO said the applications were for either a restricted or independent practice certificate in the province.

“These applications for licensure are currently in progress for the indicated period in 2025; some may be withdrawn or cancelled, so the number does not necessarily reflect the number of physicians who will ultimately be granted a certificate of registration from CPSO,” said a spokesperson for the college.

It added the data does not disclose reasons for the doctors to seek licensure to practice in the province.

For context, the CPSO said it received 19 applications between June 1 and Oct. 22.

Quebec doctors have also been eyeing New Brunswick as another option.

According to New Brunswick’s College of Physicians, the number of Quebec doctors seeking to obtain a licence in the Maritime province was in the low single digits all year. There were three in January, for example, and three in August.

So far this month, that number has spiked to 34.

Vitalite Health Network has also published a new Facebook advertisement, encouraging Quebec doctors to move to the Maritime province and the network says it’s received formal expressions of interest.

“Quebec doctors are continuing to look at New Brunswick as a healthy place to work, be respected, work across teams,” said New Brunswick Health Minister John Dornan.

Though Dornan added no one should be trying to attract already established doctors with incentives like higher pay, but said if people decide to come because they’ve showcased what the province has it’s “perfectly acceptable.”

While some doctors have started looking to other provinces, medical organizations like the Canadian and Ontario Medical Associations are raising concerns.

“When there is a shortage right across Canada, where one in five do not have access to a primary care provider, physician, or nurse practitioner, there’s a great need to keep as many of the physicians you have within every province practicing and enjoying their practice and being able to give their best to patients,” said Dr. Margot Burnell, president of the Canadian Medical Association.

A spokesperson with the Ontario Medical Association echoed Burnell’s sentiments.

“There is a doctor shortage across Canada, and all patients deserve access to physician care,” the OMA wrote. “The OMA has been working with the government to improve physician mobility across Canada, but we do not want to compromise the ability of Canadians to access care by fixing a problem in one province by creating an issue in another.”

Asked what would be the selling points for doctors to come to Ontario, Ford told reporters they’d “roll out the red carpet for you.”

“We’ve already hired over 16,000 doctors, we’re paying for their education in medical school, we’re adding more medical schools,” Ford said. “But the seasoned veteran docs, best quality of life you’ve ever have come by. We’ll roll out the red carpet for you.”

Ford added that Ontario has a “rich” Francophone culture, saying Ontario has more than 600,000 Francophones.

—with files from Global News’ Rebecca Lau, Anna Mandin and Suzanne Lapointe and The Canadian Press

1:43
New Brunswick sees uptick in Quebec doctors applying for licences

&copy 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

The LCBO has pleaded guilty and been fined $80,000 after a worker was critically injured while operating a lift truck during a training session at a warehouse in London, Ont.

According to the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, the incident happened on June 20, 2022, when workers were being trained to use a powered pallet lift truck.

Investigators found that the session was being led by a seasonal worker who was not certified to train others.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

The trainer had experience using the equipment but gave only a brief overview, assuming participants had already completed theoretical training. The trainer proceeded to give an incomplete overview of how to complete a visual and operational inspection based on the employer’s checklist and manufacturer’s manual.

During the exercise, one worker operating the machine for the first time lost control and struck a steel storage rack, suffering a critical injury.

The ministry said the LCBO failed to provide proper information, instruction and supervision, violating a section of Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Following a guilty plea in London’s Provincial Offences Court, the $80,000 fine was imposed on Aug. 28, 2025.

The court also added a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge, which goes to a provincial fund supporting victims of crime.

&copy 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

TORONTO – Collin Murray-Boyles doesn’t think he’s had his “welcome to the NBA” moment just yet, but he’ll never forget the first time he tangled with the Houston Rockets.

Murray-Boyles started for the first time in his NBA career on Wednesday, playing at centre for the Toronto Raptors in a 139-121 loss to Houston. That meant playing defence against former leading scorer Kevin Durant, former all-star Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., backup centre Steven Adams, all of whom are over six-foot-10.

“That’s a great challenge, especially early on, especially for this team, going up against a team that’s going to make it really deep in the playoffs,” said Murray-Boyles. “You never know what type of lineup you’re going to go up against every night.

“Going up against a supersized line like this showed us what we need to do better, what we did good, and we can watch and see how we can improve.”

Murray-Boyles was taken ninth overall by Toronto in this summer’s NBA Draft. The six-foot-seven 20-year-old has only played in three games so far this season.

Related Videos

2:25
Toronto sports fans prepare for double-header of Leafs, Blue Jays game tonight

Previous Video

Next Video

Although Durant — a surefire Hall of Famer who has been named an all-star 15 times — would theoretically be the toughest Rockets player for Murray-Boyles to guard, it was Adams who caught his attention.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

“Steven Adams is insanely strong. My wrists are sore right now. I’m trying to box him out and tussle with him and it’s impossible,” said Murray-Boyles, rubbing his forearms. “I didn’t think it was like that. Nobody gets over his screens.

“I was asking him what his routine is mid game. It’s insane. It’s insane. There’s him and then you have to worry about him and KD. It’s crazy what they got.”

Murray-Boyles’s first-ever NBA start was necessary as Jakob Poeltl, Toronto’s usual starting centre, was ruled out hours before the opening tip-off with lower back stiffness. Murray-Boyles finished with 13 points and two assists over 25 minutes, briefly getting benched after he got four personal fouls.

“We had to start Collin, Collin played in just his third game and he was already starting in the game tonight,” said Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic. “Without Jak, who’s supposed to help us with rebounding, and controlling the paint, and then do all of that, it puts all the guys in different roles on our second unit.

“(The reserves) are still searching for those combinations, and how those guys can help each other. I think their energy is good. They really trying in games like today, they’re just smaller. They punked us on the glass.”

At different points in the night, Houston was able to put five players out on the court who are all over six-foot-10, at least an inch taller than six-foot-nine Sandro Mamukelashvii, Toronto’s tallest healthy player.

The size advantage held by Smith (6-11), Durant (6-10), Sengun (6-11), Adams (6-11), and Clint Capela (6-10) over the entire Raptors roster allowed them to out-rebound the hosts 53-22.

Houston also outscored the Raptors 66-36 in the paint and the Rockets bench had 37 points to Toronto’s reserves getting 23.

“That’s what comes with it. You’ve got to be more gritty,” said Murray-Boyles. “They had all five crashing sometimes, we had three, two, but we never had all five crashing.

“Some of that falls on me. But we’ve got to be more gritty on the rebounds, try to be as physical as possible throughout the whole game, not giving them anything easy around the rim.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 29, 2025.

&copy 2025 The Canadian Press