By Ruby Pratka

Local Journalism Initiative

Minister for the French Language Jean-François Roberge has said he intends to issue a new directive on the use of languages other than French in the health-care system after meeting with groups representing English-speaking seniors last week.

“We are coming [up] with a new way to formulate it, with new wording, which will be more clear,” Roberge told the Montreal Gazette after the Aug. 12 meeting, adding that health care services in English will remain available on demand, “no questions asked.”

The original directive was issued by the Ministry of Health and Social Services in July as part of the implementation process surrounding Law 14 (more commonly known as Bill 96), the Coalition Avenir Québec government’s wide-ranging language policy reform. It laid out a list of situations where a health care professional might decide to use English or another language with a patient or family member. It also appeared to place restrictions on the exclusive use of English in written communications, based on whether a patient had an eligibility certificate for English public education – a document most seniors and recent immigrants would not have.

The directive caused an immediate outcry, with the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) among those calling on the government to retract it.

The QCGN was invited to the Aug. 12 meeting shortly before it took place, but declined to attend because Health Minister Christian Dubé would not be there. With the exception of a delegation from Quebec City-based Jeffery Hale–Saint Brigid’s, groups specifically representing English speakers in the regions were not present. Townshippers’ Association president Don Warnholtz, a former member of the provincial health care access committee, said the group remained “open to discussion” regarding any issues related to health care access in the Townships.

“A lot of this [confusion] could have been avoided with proper prior consultation,” he said. “The provincial health care access committee has representation from all over the province – they should have been consulted. Hopefully, the community and the government can learn from this and find better ways to communicate new policies.” 

“The administrative directive leaves a lot to be desired and creates a lot of confusion…and while we’re looking at it as a health care problem, the government is looking at it as a language problem,” added Townshippers’ executive director Denis Kotsoros. “When you read the directive, it does send out alarm bells. Our partners and people in the public service work hard to serve people every day; everyone has embraced the yellow sunflower badges [worn by bilingual staff in certain health facilities in the region] and now a project like that could be put in jeopardy with the directive and the politics around it.”

The directive will remain in force until a new directive is developed. Kotsoros said Townshippers’ has been receiving calls from concerned community members since the directive first came to light earlier this month. “We get calls asking, ‘What does this mean, how does this work?’ We just try to assuage them and say no [restrictions] are being applied.”

Despite the confusion, Kotsoros congratulated Roberge for calling the meeting and listening to the groups who were present. “We will never shut down the lines of communication,” he said. “It’s time for rational thought to take over and for the people around the table to take responsibility for everyone’s benefit.”

“When a person goes to a health facility, it’s usually at a stressful time, and you want to make sure you’re well understood. The only requirement to get health care in English should be to ask for it,” Warnholtz said.

“Following the meeting with representatives of the English-speaking communities, we noted their concerns,” Marie-Joëlle Robitaille, a principal advisor in Roberge’s office, said on Aug. 19. We want to do things as quickly as possible, but do it right. We are giving ourselves a few days to clarify the documents concerning the directive.” No one from Dubé’s office or the CIUSSS de l’Estrie-CHUS was able to comment at press time.