Quebec's health-care crisis: The tragic story of Jacques Teasdale
Crippled by staff shortages and neglect, Quebec's healthcare system failed Jacques Teasdale, whose early-stage lung cancer went untreated, leading to a stage 4 diagnosis and a degrading death in 2024. His son Olivier’s fight for justice exposes systemic failures, demanding accountability and a public inquiry.
Quebec’s healthcare system, already weakened before the pandemic, collapsed in 2020. The suspension of unvaccinated workers and chronic staff shortages worsened an untenable situation, especially in long-term care homes (CHSLDs), where the mortality rate reached 9.7% in Quebec compared to 2.3% in Ontario between March and September 2020. Elderly patients died alone, dehydrated, and neglected in their own excrement.
Two independent inquiries revealed serious failures: lack of preparation, negligence, and degrading care. Yet, no public inquiry has been launched.
The story of Jacques Teasdale, a former journalist, epitomizes this tragedy. Diagnosed in 2020 with early-stage lung cancer, he never received the recommended follow-up. “On January 12, 2021, my father left the pulmonologist’s office with a ticking time bomb in his lung. No one followed up,” laments his son, Olivier Teasdale.
Four years later, the cancer had progressed to stage 4, untreatable. Jacques died on July 16, 2024, in inhumane conditions. “His diapers and dressings weren’t changed. He was left in his feces and urine,” Olivier recounts, describing the care as “deplorable.”
In October 2024, the family filed a $960,000 lawsuit against the CHU de Québec for negligence and mistreatment. Olivier also condemns the suspension of two nurses who tried to help: “They were suspended for 30 to 90 days without pay, while the responsible doctors still have their jobs.”
Faced with inconsistencies in medical records, he demands a public inquiry: “The government needs to step up. Tolerating substandard care is unacceptable.” Jacques Teasdale’s story, one of many, raises a critical question: who would want to spend their final days in such indignity?
Alexandra Lavoie
Quebec based Journalist
Alexa graduated with a degree in biology from Laval University. Throughout her many travels, she has seen political instability as well as corruption. While she witnessed social disorder on a daily basis, she has always been a defender of society’s most vulnerable. She’s been around the world several times, and now joins Rebel News to shed light on today’s biggest stories.
Featured Stories
05:19
COMMENTS
-
Fran g commented 2025-06-12 18:27:14 -0400Depopulization -
Fran g commented 2025-06-12 18:26:51 -0400They are rogue all the time! on everything. When MAID started it was only for poor souls who had no hope of getting better, just worse, and were in a lot of pain. That made sense, but then they keep on expanding. Now it is horrifying.
-
Bruce Atchison commented 2025-06-10 21:14:22 -0400If Quebec becomes a nation, they’ll be a Third World country. Even so, this degrading treatment and stupid administrative action needs to stop. We all must keep on the government’s case when they go rogue.
