No two words can encapsulate French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge’s meeting with members of the English-speaking community Tuesday other than “total sham,” writes columnist Allison Hanes. She notes the fact that the QCGN turned down a meeting with Roberge to discuss directives on language in health care because provincial Health Minister Christian Dubé would not … Read more
The Assemblée de la francophonie de l’Ontario sends an open letter to the Quebec Health Ministry expressing concern over the directives around language in health care, and the precedent that such directives could set for other minority language communities in the rest of Canada seeking care in their language. Speaking with ONFR, QCGN Director General … Read more
QCGN Director General Sylvia Martin-Laforge joins Global’s Laura Casella to discuss the Quebec government’s directives on language in health services and the QCGN’s decision not to partake in a meeting with provincial French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge. The QCGN decided to “stick to our guns,” said Martin-Laforge, explaining that if a meeting is to be … Read more
Anthony Koch, a former national spokesperson for federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, voices his disapproval of the QCGN’s decision not to meet with provincial French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge to discuss the government directives on language in health care. The QCGN made the decision given the fact that provincial Health Minister Christian Dubé would not … Read more
The QCGN and Director General Sylvia Martin-Laforge showed “a lot of chutzpah” by turning down a meeting with Quebec French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge to discuss directives around language in health services, says Andrew Caddell, president of the Task Force on Linguistic Policy. “Why sit down,” he asks, “when it’s going to be another one … Read more
“The government has been so adamant over the years saying ‘don’t worry, don’t worry, nothing will happen to health and social services,’” QCGN Director General Sylvia Martin Laforge tells radio host Aaron Rand on Montreal Now. “I guess some of us thought we should be believing them, but we must not.” Lawyer and QCGN board … Read more
Quebec French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge says that his government will issue a reworded directive on language in health care to reassure those who are concerned about accessing health services in a language other than French. The QCGN was among the groups that were not initially invited to meet with Roberge to discuss the directives. … Read more
QCGN Director General Sylvia Martin-Laforge explains why the group turned down a “last minute” offer to attend a meeting with Quebec French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge. “This is not really about language, this is about health,” she told CTV News, adding that the QCGN turned down the offer because provincial Health Minister Christian Dubé would … Read more
After initially being left off the list of invitees to discuss government-issued directives on language in health care with Quebec French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge, the QCGN received an invite to a second meeting, but declined upon learning that provincial Health Minister Christian Dubé would not be present. “We have made it clear from the … Read more
The Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) was left off the invite list for the initial meeting with Quebec French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge to discuss government directives on language in health care. The minister’s press attaché Marie-Joëlle Dorval-Robitaille, told CityNews that QCGN was invited to a second meeting and declined when they heard that Health … Read more
The Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN), a group representing Quebec’s English-speaking minority population, was not initially invited to the meeting with provincial French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge to discuss the government’s language directives in health care. The QCGN and other organizations have stated that the presence of provincial Health Minister Christian Dubé would be necessary … Read more
Several key members of Quebec’s English-speaking community are upset they will not have an opportunity to meet with Health Minister Christian Dubé to discuss the latest directives on language in the health-care system. Language Minister Jean-François Roberge has invited several key members to speak with him on Tuesday but some of those representatives are refusing … Read more
Quebec’s French language Minister Jean-François Roberge will meet with some representatives of the English-speaking community on Tuesday but has chosen to keep the Quebec Community Groups Network off the list. Only Roberge will be present. Provincial Health Minister Christian Dubé and English secretariat Eric Girard will not be present. Other groups have decided not to … Read more
QCGN Director General Sylvia Martin-Laforge speaks with CBC Radio Noon’s Shawn Appel about the government health-care directives on the circumstances under which English may be used in health care. Lawyer and QCGN board member Eric Maldoff is also in the studio. Listen here
The new directives issued by the Coalition Avenir Québec on accessing health care in English in Quebec “signals that the government is not listening to our concerns,” QCGN Director General Sylvia Martin-Laforge tells Nil Köksal and Talia Schlanger of CBC’s “As It Happens” (interview begins at 9:25). Listen here
QCGN Director General Sylvia Martin-Laforge speaks with CTV Montreal’s Maya Johnson about the recent controversy around Quebec government directives, outlining when those seeking health services are eligible to be assisted in English. “Care is the first priority” in health and social services, she says, “language acquisition is not.” Watch here
A Quebec government directive suggests that those seeking health services in English must provide an English eligibility certificate first. QCGN Director General Sylvia Martin-Laforge calls this measure “a new, major and scary wrinkle” in access to health and social services for English-speaking Quebecers. Read more
Sylvia Martin-Laforge, director general of Quebec Community Groups Network, says the new government directives for offering services in English for health care patients are amplifying anxieties about the kinds of service anglophones will be able to receive, putting the onus on health-care workers to determine who should be eligible for care in their language of … Read more
Two Quebec agencies have provided opposing guidance on the bilingual status of Santa Cabrini Hospital, an institution founded in 1960 to better serve Montreal’s Italian community. The OQLF has once again caused another “pasta-gate” when it visited Hospital Santa Cabrini earlier this week to check whether some of the U.S.-made medical equipment and instruction manuals … Read more
A list of directives outlining the “exceptional” circumstances in which health care professionals may use a language other than French with their patients can have potentially dangerous consequences, says Sylvia Martin-Laforge, director general of the Quebec Community Groups Network. “No one — no one — should have to stop to think in any medical situation: … Read more
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. “We thought former Quebec premier Lucien Bouchard had had the last word on language and health care,” said QCGN Director General Sylvia Martin-Laforge in a press … Read more
The recent study by the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages challenges some of the persistent myths about Quebec’s English-speaking community and its relationship with the French language. The study indicates that a majority of Quebec Anglophones are bilingual, and that a vast majority believe it is important that youth across Canada be functionally … Read more
Katherine Korakakis is entering the race to become the next chair of the English Montreal School Board. Among her many roles, Korakakis serves as vice-president of the Quebec Community Groups Network. Read more
The Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) is pleased with two Court of Appeal rulings last month which allows English-language school boards to continue communicating in English. “We agree with the (English Montreal School Board) that it makes no sense to require English-language school boards to communicate with each other or with the English Parents’ Committee … Read more
The Quebec government is proceeding with its new rules for French predominance on commercial signage, with a deadline for businesses to meet this new requirement by June 2025. However, the new rules concerning French on appliances have been stayed due to manufacturing issues. “As government agencies and a host of media studies have shown in … Read more