Controversial Psychiatrist ‘Doc Mailloux’ Passes Away

The psychiatrist and commentator Pierre Mailloux, known as ‘Doc Mailloux’, has passed away at the age of 74 at the Trois-Rivières hospital, his family announced. Suffering from an incurable infection, he had been hospitalized for over three weeks.

In a brief statement shared on social media, his family mentioned that he passed away peacefully after battling an incurable illness. They expressed gratitude to everyone who supported and stood by them during this difficult time. The family also added that they will be going through the next steps in complete privacy and will not be granting any interviews.

The news of Doc Mailloux’s passing has elicited several tributes, including one from close friend and columnist Réjean Tremblay. Tremblay emotionally stated that Doc Mailloux had received medical assistance in dying at 11am after battling the devastating consequences of a kidney infection.

Quebecers admired Doc Mailloux because he stood up against a system that tries to mold everyone into the same format. Many appreciated his fearlessness in speaking his mind, which was a sentiment often reiterated by his followers.

On January 8th, the team from the podcast ‘Doc Mailloux & Josey’ had previously mentioned that his medical condition had rapidly deteriorated in recent days. They couldn’t guarantee that he would be able to return to the show and entertain listeners.

Eric Duhaime, leader of the Conservative Party, who had worked with Doc Mailloux at FM93 in Quebec, described him as an exceptionally intelligent man with clear and decisive opinions. While they didn’t always agree, they respected him. Duhaime expressed his admiration for Doc Mailloux’s ability to make people laugh, think, and learn simultaneously. He added that Quebec had lost an extraordinary individual who deeply understood the Quebecois soul.

Pierre Mailloux began practicing psychiatry in the late 1970s after studying at Laval University and McGill University. He gained recognition by testifying as an expert in the trial of Denis Lortie, the perpetrator of the May 1984 shooting at the National Assembly.

About a decade later, Doc Mailloux started to gain a public following when he hosted a radio show, initially titled ‘Un psy à l’écoute’, from 1995 to 2007 on CKAC.

However, it was his controversial actions and disputes with the Collège des médecins du Québec that garnered media attention in recent years. Doc Mailloux faced multiple suspensions throughout his career. In 2022, the Supreme Court once again refused to hear his case against the Collège des médecins, in which he sought compensation of over 10 million dollars, alleging professional harassment related to disciplinary complaints concerning ethical issues.

In 2017, the highest court in the country rejected his attempt to overturn a series of disciplinary infractions, some of which related to his controversial remarks about Black individuals on the show ‘Tout le monde en parle’ in 2005.

Source: La Presse Canadienne