Doctors and other health-care advocates in Quebec say they are worried about the implications for health and social services underThey say not only will it put care for some people at risk, they fear the bill will create divisions and cause the quality of health care to decline.
“Very simply, if there is not effective communication there is a much higher risk of injury and even death of patients and clients,” he told Global News.Under Bill 96, public service providers would be required to communicate exclusively in French. Immigrants who’ve lived in the province for less than six months or people who went to school in English in the province would be exempted.
Those against the bill point out that up until now staff and patients have been free to choose how to communicate with each other.Quebec First Nations leaders take stand, demand Bill 96 exemptionBut according to justice minister Simon Jolin-Barette, there’s nothing to worry about.Story continues below advertisement
“It will put numerous obstacles in the way of health-care institutions who need to hire practitioners,” he pointed out.Chirgwin shares Birnbaum’s concern and pointed to interpreters at CLSC Parc-Extension, in an area with a high number of people who don’t speak English or French fluently.He also expressed consternation that patients who don’t speak French fluently will be made to feel excluded.
So Quebec is so afraid that someone might not speak French that they are going to have it spoken first, no matter what. The rest of Canada should make English the official first choice - and let's see who wins.
How is this bill not self-evidently idiotic?