Liberal leadership candidates rip CAQ government for health regulations

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Candidates and potential candidates for the leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party have have added their names to the list of people calling on the government to redraft controversial health regulations that might potentially limit the use of English in the network.

“Totally ridiculous,” Liberal MNA Frédéric Beauchemin, who represents the Montreal riding of Marguerite-Bourgeoys, said in reference to the regulations. “Period.”

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“Quebecers have the right to be served for medical services in French if they want to be served in French and they have the right to be served in English if they want to be served in English,” added Beauchemin, who will likely run for the leadership, but has not announced it yet.

“There’s no ifs and buts about this. I can’t believe the attitude of this government. They have used this as a leverage to whip up their base. They are using division to whip up the base, which is sad. The Liberal Party of Quebec does not agree with the CAQ (Coalition Avenir Québec on this.”

Charles Milliard, who announced Friday he will seek the leadership, said in his the English-speaking community is fully entitled to the services they want in English.

“When it comes to the rights of anglophone rights you can count on me 100 per cent,” Milliard said.

Former federal Liberal MP and Montreal mayor Denis Coderre, who announced in June he would seek the leadership of the party, accused the government of scapegoating minority communities in its attitude to services for them.

“I think like (former premier) Lucien Bouchard,” Coderre said. “When you go for health care it is not to learn French it is to get help,” Coderre said, adding he is personally against Bill 96, now known as Bill 14, which overhauled the Charter of the French Language.

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The politicians made the comments arriving for a one day Liberal youth policy convention in Montreal. The theme of the day is renewed federalism.

Their comments come a day after the chairperson of the Liberal Party policy committee, André Pratte, called on the government to withdraw the regulations.

Pratte was reacting to a 31-page government directive issued in July spelling out the “exceptional” circumstances in which English is allowed to be spoken in hospitals and other medical facilities.

Representatives of the English-speaking community have said the directive is confusing and could even be dangerous to citizens seeking health care.

On Thursday, Quebec moved to clarify the directive. In an open letter published in The Gazette and signed by three cabinet ministers, the government says it has no intention of restricting access to services in English.

It specifically says “organizations in the health and social services network do not request documentation or proof from users for the provision of care in a particular language.”

But arriving for the meeting, interim Liberal leader Marc Tanguay was also on the attack.

Referring to a letter written by three cabinet ministers who conceded the regulations need to be clarified, Tanguay said even the government recognizes the regulations have “raised doubts and questions,” in minority communities.

“This is not how we are going to promote French in Quebec,” Tanguay told reporters. “In health, the government recognized its error. Now it’s time for it to revise this 31 page document.

“Right now it’s too easy for the government to impede rights and freedoms. People are justified to be concerned. It’s the responsibility of the government to ensure people get access … even if they speak English.”

pauthier@postmedia.com

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