Quebec addresses concerns over health care language directive, ensuring English services remain accessible
The Quebec government is prepared to revise a directive that has sparked concerns about restricting access to health care in English, according to The Canadian Press.
In an open letter, three provincial ministers—Jean-François Roberge, Eric Girard, and Christian Dubé—affirm that Quebec imposes no linguistic conditions on health care in English.
They expressed willingness to clarify the directive, emphasizing that there will never be language requirements to receive treatment in Quebec.
The ministers plan to meet with representatives of the English-speaking community to address their concerns and provide reassurance.
This letter is the government's response to growing unease over the 23-page directive issued last month, which details specific situations where English can be used in health care settings.
The directive has attracted criticism from federal Liberal MPs, with Montreal-area MP Anna Gainey warning of potential adverse consequences from the confusion it has caused.
Speaking in Halifax, Minister Roberge stated that the directive pertains to the administration of the health care system and not to front-line care, reiterating that Quebec has not, and will not, undermine the rights of English speakers to receive treatment in English.
Federal Official Languages Minister Randy Boissonnault and Health Minister Mark Holland echoed similar sentiments, stressing the importance of accessible health care in both official languages.
The directive, while not limiting the right to receive services in English, suggests that non-French languages should only be used in exceptional cases, such as emergencies. It instructs health-care workers to communicate in French initially and provides specific examples where English can be used.
For example, in an emergency involving a 10-year-old boy, consent from his anglophone father can be sought in English.
Furthermore, the directive requires members of Quebec's historic anglophone community to provide proof of eligibility for English schooling to receive all medical services in English.
Immigrants, according to the directive, are only eligible for health care in a non-French language during their first six months in the province.
André Pratte, former senator, and chair of the Quebec Liberal party's policy committee, has called for the withdrawal of the directive, describing it as a result of the stringent and dehumanizing approach feared from Bill 96, a law aimed at protecting the French language in Quebec.
