Liberal leadership candidates rip CAQ government for English health-care directive

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

“Totally ridiculous,” Liberal MNA Frédéric Beauchemin, who represents the Montreal riding of Marguerite-Bourgeoys, said in reference to the Health Ministry directive. “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 made an official announcement 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 (Coalition Avenir Québec) on this.”

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

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

Former federal Liberal MP and former Montreal mayor Denis Coderre, who announced in June he would seek the leadership of the Quebec Liberals, accused the government of scapegoating minority communities.

“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.”

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Coderre added he is now against Bill 96, which overhauled the Charter of the French Language.

The politicians made their comments Saturday as they arrived for a one-day Quebec Liberal youth policy convention in Montreal.

A day earlier, the chairperson of the party’s policy committee, André Pratte, called on the government to withdraw the new rules on English health care.

A 31-page government directive issued in July spells 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 Friday, Quebec suggested it is open to clarifying the directive. In an open letter published by The Gazette and signed by three cabinet ministers, the government says it has no intention of restricting access to health 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 Saturday’s meeting, interim Liberal leader Marc Tanguay was also on the attack.

Referring to the ministers’ open letter, Tanguay said even the government recognizes the directive has “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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