Community groups representing Quebec’s English-speaking communities are seeking collaboration with government officials following its promise to review the province’s current health care directive implemented under language law Bill 96.
The directive, issued in July, makes French the exclusive language of communication within the health care setting for administrative activities and health care workers and identifies only certain exceptions where another language can be used.
On August 13th, Minister of the French Language Jean-François Roberge met with some representatives from the English-speaking community to address the concerns around accessing health and social services in another language besides French.
CIDI talked about the directive to Denis Kotsoros, Executive Director of the Townshippers’ Association, and to Sylvia Martin-Laforge, Director General of the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN), which represents and advocates for the English-speaking minority in Quebec.