Woman unfairly criticized over ER language complaint

New Brunswick's official languages commissioner says it's unfair for a Moncton woman to be criticized for demanding health services in her preferred language.

A language controversy was sparked in New Brunswick this week when Murielle Sonier's said she was unable to speak with an emergency room doctor in French when she visited the Tracadie-Sheila hospital last week.

Sonier, who can speak English, said she was told the only doctor available to see her could not speak French, but that translation would be provided. Sonier contends the service was unacceptable and made her uneasy.

Michel Carrier, the commissioner of official languages, said he's been watching a robust debate unfold on CBC's website over Sonier's complaint.

Carrier said it's not fair to say people should just be grateful to get medical care, regardless of what language it's in.

He said those people would change their tune if they were trying to get help and had no idea what was going on.

"It's easy to say and most people I would suggest who would offer this kind of reaction are people who've never had to deal with service in a language other than their own," Carrier said.

Dr. Neil Branch, the vice-president of medical affairs with Regional Health A, said this week the emergency room doctor was sent to Tracadie-Sheila from Saint John to replace a physician who had to leave unexpectedly. The health authority could not find a doctor to fill the shift who could speak French.

The official languages commissioner said health authorities should have contingency plans ready to deal with all types of scenarios to make sure these situations do not arise.

Carrier said even bilingual people find they recover faster and better when they receive health care in their mother tongue.

He said providing proper health care in both French and English is going to take time but he said it's worth it.

Carrier said it's unusual to hear complaints about the lack of French services at the Tracadie-Sheila Hospital, which is located in the predominantly francophone Acadian peninsula region.

Most complaints about the lack of bilingual health services originate in the southern part of New Brunswick.

He said hospitals have put up bilingual signs and most receptionists can speak both French and English.

But after that, Carrier said, the bilingual service provided inside hospitals is inconsistent.

More professionals required

Yvon Fontaine, the president of the University of Moncton, said training francophone health professionals is a key priority for the province.

The University of Moncton has already signed a deal with Regional Health Authority A to train more health professionals. This new agreement will allow students to get more on the job training in a hospital setting.

Fontaine said he's also working with the province to turn the Dr. Georges-L Dumont Regional Hospital in Moncton into a teaching facility.

"We know that one of the key areas where we need to grow is in the clinical environment because we cannot train health professionals, be they doctors, nurses, and every health professional if we don't have a good well structured clinical environment for teaching," Fontaine said.