Quebec's situation is different from the rest of Canada, because we have the most cases. Quebec has over 50,000 cases and 4,100 deaths. I'm a surgeon. In Montreal, we're operating at 25% capacity. People are suffering. My waiting list used to be months long, but now it's more than a year long. Once everything reopens, which will happen later this fall or next year, it will be very hard to satisfy people who are suffering. People are calling me about their operations, and we have to make a choice. As for cancer screening, we've got a considerable backlog. There are some very sick people in hospital right now. People are coming in with appendicitis, but these aren't simple appendicitis cases, they're complicated. People are scared to come to the hospital, so they keep putting it off. There are delays due to the fact that the public is scared of COVID-19. There are also delays because resources are limited.
Other parts of Quebec, like the North Shore, have reported fewer cases of COVID-19. Surgical and medical procedures aren't back to normal, but they might not have been as severely affected as in Montreal. There will be an impact that will linger for years.
How can you help us? Well, there's a nursing shortage, and there's a shortage of funding for health care. I think it will take time. The federal government needs to invest more money in providing resources to first nations and helping them care for their members.