New Bill 96 language directives for Quebec healthcare network

New directives are in place in Quebec hospitals and long-term care homes that outline when a language other than French can be used by healthcare workers in emergency situations.

The visits were carried out as part of the process of ensuring compliance with the Charter of the French Language.

According to the new rules, which took effect on July 18 and are part of the adoption two years ago of Bill 96, the Quebec government’s overhaul of the Charter of the French Language, health care workers — including those in hospitals and nursing homes– are allowed to speak in a language other than French in “emergency situations.”

A Montreal Gazette report on Tuesday revealed that francisation advisers from the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) recently visited Montreal-area bilingual hospitals, including the Montreal Jewish General and Santa Cabrini Hospital.

The new directive comes as the province’s OQLF is expanding its visits beyond businesses into hospitals in response to Bill 96.

Directive could lead to delays in accessing healthcare

Representatives of Quebec’s English-speaking community say the directives are confusing and potentially dangerous.

The 31-page directive spells out under what circumstances healthcare staff can address a patient in a language other than French.

While the directive is meant to spell out the circumstances under which patients can be served in their language, many now worry that it adds so many new layers of bureaucracy and questions that need to be posed by the healthcare worker that it may compromise healthcare and lead to delays in accessing help.

Especially, critics say, in a healthcare system that’s already dangerously overburdened and understaffed.

In a press release, Sylvia Martin-Laforge, Director-General of the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) said, “The Office québécois de la langue française has no business in the operating rooms of the province.”

“We thought former Quebec premier Lucien Bouchard had had the last word on language and health care in Quebec when he said in 1996: ‘when you go to the hospital and you’re in pain, you may need a blood test, but you certainly don’t need a language test,’ ” Martin-Laforge added. “Not according to the current government, apparently.”

The new rules are being implemented, even though statistics show that the use of French in the health sector on the island of Montreal jumped from 2016 to 2022 and the use of French on the island of Montreal has remained stable from 2007 to 2022.