Re: [OT] I thought indentured servitude was a thing of the past

On Thu, 24 Apr 2025 15:32:51 -0400, Rhino
<no_offline_contact@example.com> wrote:

I saw this article just now and found myself thinking about indentured
servitude of all things:
>
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-bill-83-law-doctors-study-public-private-1.7517752
>

It doesn't say but presumably the government is going to cover the
cost of medical school. Otherwise they are telling people you have to
work in the public sector for five years without the government giving
the doctors anything in return. Given the costs of medical school
there's no way I would want to sign up for that unless I was getting
something back in return.

I don't know exactly how indentured servitude worked back in the day. It
was certainly different from slavery in that slavery was for life unless
your owner freed you and that slaves could be inherited.
>
I know that indentured servitude was typically for a period of 5 to 7
years and that you were free to go your own way after that. However, I'm
not sure if you received a salary or only room and board while you were
doing your servitude.
>
Certainly, these doctors are NOT working for free or for room and board
but I find myself wondering if a court challenge will find judges
telling Sante Quebec (Health Quebec in French) that they are violating
the human rights of doctors by forcing them to practice in the public
sector for 5 years whether they like it or not.

Not for free but not for anything near what they are likely to make in
the private sector.