As Quebec’s National Assembly resumed this week, it unanimously passed a motion highlighting that English-speaking Quebecers do not need a certificate of eligibility for English-language education in order to access health and social services in English.
The motion went on to demand that any directives governing the use of languages other than French in the health and social-services system “be clear and explicit on this subject,” according to a press release from the The Quebec Community Groups Network.
The directives are being reworked by French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge after the first version (still in effect) ran into intense opposition from English-speaking Quebecers.
However, a timeline for when the document will be released has not yet been published.
In July, the Health Ministry issued a directive explaining when health care providers can communicate with clients in a language other than French.
This move is part of Quebec’s updated Charter of the French Language, known as Bill 96.
The 31-page directive states that health care services can only be provided in languages other than French in special cases — specifically, when a patient can show they cannot communicate or fully understand French, or if they have documentation proving they have the right to be served in English due to their historical anglophone background.
According to the directive, anglophones who have a certificate proving their right to English education can also receive health care in English. This certificate is granted to those who can prove their family’s anglophone roots in Quebec.
However, this has caused confusion and concern among the English-speaking community the province. At least three Quebec Liberal MPs have expressed concerns to federal ministers, arguing that the new provincial rule could limit access to health care for non-French speakers in the province.
In response, Roberge along with Finance Minister Eric Girard and Health Minister Christian Dubé published an open letter in the Montreal Gazette on Aug. 9, aiming to reassure Quebecers that those seeking health care in English will still be able to access it.
They emphasized that the directive does not limit the right to receive health services in English, dismissing any claims to the contrary as false.