Quebec Liberal MPs take aim at provincial directive on language in health care

At least three Quebec Liberal MPs have raised concerns with federal ministers about a new provincial directive they say limits access to health care in the province for patients who do not communicate in French.

The 31-page directive published by Quebec's health department last month says health-care practitioners in the province may provide services in languages other than French only in exceptional circumstances — if the patient can demonstrate that they cannot communicate in French or understand it properly, or if they can present paperwork showing they have a right to be served in English because of their historical anglophone roots.

"I'm all for protecting French, but this is going a little bit too far when it comes to health," Emmanuella Lambropoulos, the MP for the Montreal riding of St-Laurent, told CBC News.

The directive says anglophones who have an official certificate showing their eligibility to receive education services in English may receive health-care services in English.

The certificate is a document granted to anglophones who can prove their ancestors in Quebec had anglophone roots.

For patients who speak other languages and cannot communicate in French, the directive says a health-care provider "may disobey the obligation to use exclusively French" as required.

Lambropoulos said that still gives far too much power to individual health care providers.

"I just don't think it's enough to say that the doctor is allowed to offer services in the language of their choice," she said, adding she has written to federal Health Minister Mark Holland about the issue.

Anna Gainey, MP for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce-Westmount, said in a statement published Wednesday night on X that she also spoke to Holland to "share the serious concerns constituents have expressed regarding the Directive.

"They are very worried because the Directive would interfere with effective communication between them and their caregivers."

WATCH | Who can access Quebec health care in English?

Who can access Quebec health care in English?

4 months ago

Duration 1:55

A government directive that says people will have to have a special document to get some health care services in English is causing outrage and confusion. The province says it’s not what it looks like.

Gainey said she's also spoken with caucus colleagues "to ensure that the federal government, which is a major partner under the Canada Health Act, is aware of these concerns and prepared, if necessary, to step up and insist upon respect for its fundamental principles, in particular as it relates to universal access to care in both official languages."

Anthony Housefather, the MP for Mount Royal, told CBC News he has reached out to both Holland and Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault, the federal minister responsible for official languages.

Sameer Zuberi, MP for Pierrefonds-Dollard, and Francis Scarpaleggia, MP for Lac St-Louis, said they're also concerned about the directive.

"If we're starting to do linguistics exams at the same time as we do medical exams, this will not allow efficient delivery of health care," Zuberi said.

"We have a sacrosanct principle that governments should not interfere, or anybody should not interfere, in the relationship between a doctor and a patient," Scarpaleggia said.

MP interventions could make a difference: advocate

Eric Maldoff, a longtime advocate for anglophone rights and chair of the Coalition for Quality Health and Social Services, said it's encouraging to see federal MPs wade into the debate.

"It's broadening this issue from just a bunch of whiny anglos always complaining, which is how the [provincial] government explains it away, ignoring it," he said.

"Feds can hold back money if Quebec is not providing services as it should" he added, referring to how provincial health transfers are governed under the Canada Health Act.

Quebec open to clarifying directive 

In an interview with CBC Montreal's morning radio show Daybreak on Friday, Quebec's Minister of the French Language Jean-François Roberge denied his government is impeding access to health care, and said he is open to clarifying the directive accordingly. 

"We want to be clear because there's a lot of confusion since the last week. I've heard and read that some people think the Quebec government is changing the rules," Roberge told show host Sean Henry.

"No question will be asked, no document will have to be shown," he said, if someone goes to the hospital and speaks in English to explain why they require health care.

He also said he will be meeting with Quebec's English-speaking community groups next week. Asked why he had not done that prior to issuing the directive, he said he initially thought the document was clear and there were no misunderstandings. 

Asked what would happen if a patient found themselves refused health care access in English, Roberge said that kind of situation is theoretical. "I think in the day to day in our hospitals, people are doing their jobs right and the English-speaking community has their services in English." 

As for the issues raised by the Montreal MPs, Roberge said it is all a "misunderstanding."

"They're reading papers with a lot of confusion, so I think it's normal that they ask questions, that they want to be sure that nothing changed." 

Ottawa expects provinces, territories to comply with Health Act

At a news conference on Thursday, federal Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez, who is also Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's lieutenant in Quebec, was asked if he thinks the federal government should intervene.

"When you go to the doctor, it's really a stressful moment, it's an important moment. You don't know what you have. That is really a moment where it's very important for you to be understood by the person you're seeing," he said, deferring to Boissonnault and Holland for further comment.

CBC News reached out to Boissonnault and Holland, as well as to Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, whose portfolio covers intergovernmental affairs. 

On Friday morning, Holland's office issued a statement saying it expects "provinces and territories not to make decisions that would impede Canadians' access to health care in their official language of choice."

The statement also said the Canada Health Act is written as such to recognize that health care is a provincial and territorial jurisdiction, recognizing they are "responsible for for organizing and delivering health care services to best meet the needs of their residents."

It also said the federal government is committed to protecting minority language communities across the country, and "recognizes the importance of pursuing ongoing collaboration with the province of Quebec."