#health

Major donation brings local Palliative Care Home closer to reality

Local Journalism Initiative / The Gaspé Spec / August 22, 2025 / #Cascapedia, #Danbe Foundation, #donation, #health, #palliative

Mary Robertson, LJI Journalist

CASCAPEDIA-ST. JULES – On July 24, a generous donation was made to the Maison de soins palliatifs de la Baie-des-Chaleurs, in memory of Diane Snow, the Executive Chef of the 3Camps fly-fishing lodges.

The $100,000 donation was made by Barbara Crook and Dan Greenberg, co-owners of 3Camps, and leaders of the Danbe Foundation in Ottawa. Known as a philanthropic power couple in the Ottawa region, Barbara and Dan have generously supported cancer research, mental health services, the arts, and many other charitable causes through their Danbe Foundation. In 2018, Barbara and Dan were awarded the Meritorious Service Medal by Governor General Julie Payette for their philanthropic contributions and for inspiring a spirit of giving in Ottawa and beyond. Barbara was also awarded the Order of Ottawa for her community work and philanthropy.

Diane started to work at Camp Bonaventure in 1999 as a cook. In the years that followed, she took on more responsibility by overseeing all the operations of kitchen management and the menus for the Salmon Lodge on the Grand Cascapedia River, Camp Bonaventure and The Club on the Bonaventure River.

She enjoyed her work at the salmon-fishing camps and was an integral part of the hospitable and hard-working team of employees who welcomed anglers to the rivers every summer. Having worked there for so many years, she was also a friend to many of the guests who returned to the camps year after year.

After being diagnosed with cancer, Diane received her first treatment in March of 2022. During that time, she and her life partner, Junior St.Onge, were also faced with the challenges of his mother’s diagnosis of cancer. So, while dealing with her own health issues, Diane took it upon herself to help care for her mother-in-law until she passed in December of 2022.

After months of treatments, Diane was told that she was in remission and was able to return to work at the camps in 2023 with Junior, who was the Manager at Salmon Lodge.

When Diane’s cancer returned, she remained optimistic and was determined to get through it againbecause she had her four young granddaughters to love and spoil. But after more difficult treatments, her family and friends’ loving support, and much care from the doctors and nurses at Maria Hospital, Diane lost her battle to cancer on April 27, right before the start of the 2025 fishing season.

It was a devastating loss, not only for her family but for the owners and staff of 3Camps. The donation by Barbara and Dan to the Maison de soins palliatifs Baie-des-Chaleurs Palliative Care Home was a way to pay tribute to a remarkable woman who had touched so many lives with kindness, resilience and strength.

The Palliative Care Home project, launched in 2019, aimed to build and provide the communities within the MRCs of Bonaventure and Avignon with a peaceful and comforting six-bedroom hospice. Once completed, it will provide palliative and end-of-life care in a respectful environment and will also offer support for their loved ones, free of charge.

Dr. Simon Prévost, a family physician in the Bay of Chaleurs for more than 20 years, started an ambitious fundraising campaign in 2022 by biking across Canada. From the start of his practice in the region, he had devoted much of his time caring for patients in palliative care, both at home and in the hospital. Therefore, he knew that a hospice was needed for these patients. His objective was to cycle from the Yukon to the Bay of Chaleurs so that he could raise $100,000 for the construction of a palliative care building. With the encouragement of the local community, he raised more than $135,000. Today, Dr. Provost is still involved and acts as the President of the Board of Directors for the project. Their goal is to raise 5 million dollars by 2028, and at this time, they have raised more than 4.4 million.

Junior St. Onge shared that Diane would be happy to know that even though she is no longer here, she will be able to continue helping others. He said that she had always bought the fundraising tickets for the Palliative Care Home because she thought it was an important and much-needed cause to support. When it is completed, Junior said that he and her family will think of Diane and find comfort in knowing that her legacy of kindness will continue to live on within its walls.

Those wishing to support the Maison de soins palliatifs Baie-des-Chaleurs can contact their office for more information.

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Dubé health care reform not acceptable to nurses

Local Journalism Initiative / The Gaspé Spec / August 11, 2025 / #cisss, #health, #nelson sergerie, #reform, #sante quebec

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

SAINT-SIMÉON – The Dubé health care reform is simply not acceptable to the nursing staff at the CISSS de la Gaspésie.

This is the finding of a survey conducted by Léger on behalf of the Fédération de la santé du Québec de la Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ), to which the Syndicat des infirmières, infirmières auxiliaires et inhalothérapeutes de l’Est du Québec (SIIIEQ) is affiliated.

According to the union, 55% of SIIIEQ members hold a negative opinion of the reform, while only 15% view it positively. An additional 30% either had no opinion or declined to answer.

“The first effects of this reform, given that Santé Québec came into effect on December 1, 2024, have been budget restrictions, staff cuts, and staff not being replaced. This has a direct impact on the workload,” says SIIIEQ president Pier-Luc Bujold.

He adds that the administrative burden has also increased significantly.

“It’s like building a ship in the middle of a storm. There are many inconsistencies and a lack of information. People are running around much more to get answers to their questions. Workers do not have much confidence in this reform,” adds Mr. Bujold.

“What we’re hearing on the ground is not cheerful or desirable. Greater centralization means that decisions are more disconnected from the reality on the ground. It achieves the government’s objectives, but does it serve Quebecers?” asks the president.

He also points to promises made by the CAQ government when it was elected in 2018, including a family doctor for every Quebecer and reduced emergency room wait times.

“We are waiting for the positive effects, but they are not materializing on the ground,” he notes.
When asked to rate the CAQ government’s management of health care since 2018, the president is clear.

“It’s difficult to give a rating. There are many inconsistencies. It would not pass,” the president assesses.

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Maria Hospital: another delay for preliminary studies

Local Journalism Initiative / The Gaspé Spec / August 11, 2025 / #cisss, #health, #maria hospital, #nelson sergerie, #PQI

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

MARIA – The preliminary studies on the mechanical infrastructure of the Maria hospital centre, an essential first step towards building a new emergency room and intensive care unit, have been delayed again. The report, originally expected by the end of June, is now projected for September.

According to the CISSS de la Gaspésie, additional surveys and drilling are required before the study can be submitted. The delay follows budgetary concerns that had already caused the contract to be suspended last fall, although it was eventually relaunched during the winter.

The authorized studies are technical in nature, focusing on the facility’s electromechanical, structural, and civil components. Among other things, the study, conducted by the firm CIMA+, aims to determine whether: the electrical system is powerful enough to accommodate the expansion, and whether the water and sewer systems need to be adjusted to accommodate the expansion.

In September 2023, the CISSS board of directors increased pressure on the Quebec government to include the project in the 2024 Quebec Infrastructure Plan (PQI).

The resolution adopted by the board of directors and its chair to take steps to ensure that the Maria emergency project was included in the PQI and to take steps to obtain strategic support for the project to be recognized as a regional priority.

The absence of the project from the PQI when the 2024 budget was tabled in March prompted strong reactions from regional elected officials and the nurses’ union.

However, in the March 2025 budget, one line mentioned the Maria hospital in the PQI.
The document stated that “the Ministry of Health and Social Services will submit requests for approval by the government over the next year for new major projects, namely the Drummondville and Maria hospitals and phase 3 of the program to add places in MDAAs (seniors’ homes and alternatives).”

The project, which had been on the table since 2018, was granted “clinical relevance” status in the fall of 2022, meaning that the Ministry of Health recognized the need.

The Clinical and Real Estate Master Plan already showed in the spring of 2022 that the hospital, built in 1952, was no longer suited to modern practices, especially the emergency room, where the last renovations date back to 1972.

In June 2018, the CISSS de la Gaspésie adopted a resolution to move forward with a new construction to replace the current facility, a scenario that dates back even before the creation of the CISSS.

In the meantime, the modernization of the emergency room was prioritized.

For comparison, the new emergency room and intensive care unit at Gaspé Hospital—opened in 2021 in a newly connected building, cost $31.7 million.

No financial results before September

The CISSS de la Gaspésie’s financial results for the last fiscal year, which ended March 31, will not be available before September.

The network has submitted its final financial data to Santé Québec and is still awaiting official confirmation. The documents must first be tabled in the National Assembly, which resumes on September 16.

In an email, the CISSS stated that efforts are underway to meet the $30 million savings target for the 2025–2026 fiscal year, based on a total operating budget of $560 million.

However, CEO Martin Pelletier recently acknowledged that independent labour alone accounts for $20 million of the projected $30 million deficit.

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