The Quebec government released a new health care directive on Monday that clearly states that English speakers have the right to receive health and social services in English.
The document repeatedly recalls that English speakers do not have to prove their identity to receive care in their language.
The update is intended to replace an earlier directive, published in July, which had raised concerns in some English-speaking circles. Some saw it as a government limitation on access to health care in “languages other than French.”
The government promised last month to rewrite the directive to make it more precise, following criticism from English-speaking groups and federal Liberal MPs.
Health Minister Christian Dubé assured X on Monday that his government never intended to “restrict health and social services on the basis of a linguistic criterion.”
Mr. Dubé adds that the changes to the directive are intended to make it easier to understand for health-care workers and the general population.
The updated directive states that healthcare workers may use a language other than French “if a user does not understand or does not appear to understand French well enough, or if they express a desire to communicate in another language.”
Minister Dubé concluded his message by writing: “We will treat you, no matter what language you speak.”
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