Quebec doctors call for inquest after five physician suicides in five months

CANADA Quebec doctors call for inquest after five physician suicides in five months By Staff The Canadian Press Posted September 23, 2026 11:53 pm 2 min read View image in full screen The emergency department entrance is shown a the Lachine Hospital in Montreal, Sunday, Nov. 14, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes LEAVE A COMMENT SHARE THIS ITEM ON FACEBOOK SHARE THIS ITEM ON X SEND THIS PAGE TO SOMEONE VIA EMAIL SEE MORE SHARING OPTIONS DESCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE INCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, support is available 24-7 by calling or texting 988, Canada’s national suicide prevention helpline. Over 1,500 Quebec doctors are calling for a coroner’s inquest after five doctors in the province reportedly died by suicide over a five-month period this year. The doctors sent a letter to Quebec’s chief coroner Sept. 18 asking for an inquest into suicides in their profession. The signatories write that doctors face death and suffering every day and take on a lot of responsibility, sometimes without adequate support. They also say some doctors avoid getting help for mental health issues because they fear professional repercussions. Every suicide in Quebec is investigated by a coroner, regardless of the deceased person’s profession, to establish the causes and circumstances of the death. STORY CONTINUES BELOW ADVERTISEMENT Quebec’s coroner’s office told The Canadian Press it has begun an in-depth analysis of the doctors’ request. Get daily Montreal news Get daily Montreal news delivered to your inbox so you'll never miss the day's top stories. SIGN UP FOR DAILY MONTREAL NEWSLETTER GET STARTED BY PROVIDING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, YOU HAVE READ AND AGREE TO GLOBAL NEWS' TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY. “For now, it is too early to comment on whether such a public inquiry will be held,” it says. Jean-Paul Brutus, a plastic surgeon who signed the letter, says growing workloads and the public denigration of doctors — sometimes referred to in Quebec as “doctor-bashing” — contribute to psychological distress. He says successive governments have pointed fingers at doctors for years and blamed them “for all the failings of the public system.” “There is more and more medical-administrative pressure, more and more patients, fewer and fewer resources to help us do the work we have to do,” Brutus says. MORE ON CANADA MORE VIDEOS Carney says he studied risk of U.S.-led military action in NYT interview From…