“Things going south? Change your direction. Look north.”

So reads a digital advertisement sponsored by the government of Saskatchewan inviting U.S. doctors to a webinar on job opportunities in the province, which already claims to have “one of the quickest pathways to medical licensure for physicians who have American board certification.”

Earlier in June, British Columbia announced a $5-million recruitment campaign of its own, while Ontario unveiled a fast-track process for U.S. doctors looking to escape uncertainty in the practice of medicine and general political upheaval under President Donald Trump.

The race is on among Canadian provinces to capitalize on this golden opportunity to help address this country’s long-running doctor shortage — and the competition is fierce.

Everywhere except Quebec, that is.

There are no slick ads and none are planned, confirmed Audrey Noiseux, Health Minister Christian Dubé’s press attaché.

There is no streamlined process, no outreach — no special measures at all.

U.S. physicians are welcome to apply for a licence from the Collège des médecins du Québec, of course, and don’t need any dispensation from Santé Québec, said Jean Nicolas Aubé, a spokesperson for the agency that manages daily operations in the public health system.

But American doctors looking to move to Quebec would have to obtain a special........

© Montreal Gazette