In a report released last month, the Senate committee recommended that Ottawa include language clauses in health-care agreements with provinces to help ensure access to care in English in Quebec and in French in the rest of Canada.
The Gazette —
March 12, 2026
Access to health care in English remains ‘tenuous’ in Quebec, Senate report says
“When you’re sick, you’re not bilingual.” Senate committee calls on Ottawa to strengthen health-care access for English and French minorities across Canada.
A committee has called on Ottawa to strengthen health-care access for English and French minorities across Canada.
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People in those communities may speak the majority language, but access to health care in their preferred official language remains crucial, Sen. Allister Surette said. “One group told us that when you’re sick, you’re not bilingual,” he said. “When people face difficult medical situations, they often revert to their original language. They feel more comfortable that way, and it helps them understand what’s happening.”