Eligibility certificates may be needed by anglos
Quebec anglos may need to have eligibility certificates to get health care in English, according to a new directive.
Toula Drimonis discusses the sheer confusion caused by an unclear new directive followed by its partial contradiction by Jean-François Roberge, minister for the French language.
steph 10:18 on 2024-07-31 Permalink
Completely absurd.
with that said… um, where do I request such document? (is it the same certificate of eligibility for my “child” to attend English schools, even if I have no children?)
Uatu 10:22 on 2024-07-31 Permalink
I’m waiting for the badge with the scarlet A that we have to wear in the hospital lol
JP 10:39 on 2024-07-31 Permalink
I’m actually feeling stressed about this, not for myself. I speak sufficient French to manage, but for older friends and family who don’t.
We pay federal taxes right? Surely there’s an infringement of rights…or even just a basic lack of compassion. We’re getting absudly close to something extremely nefarious.
Kevin 10:54 on 2024-07-31 Permalink
Last year Roberge promised you wouldn’t need to do anything except say you were an anglo to get healthcare in English
https://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec/we-are-counting-on-good-faith-minister-says-of-anglos-seeking-services-in-english
And it’s impossible to get that certificate for yourself if you’ve finished high school
https://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec/quebec-denies-english-eligibility-certificates-if-students-apply-after-high-school
This is an inhumane and evil policy, and I can attest to that with an anecdote about a family member who was intubated. That procedure is extremely stressful and requires the patient to undergo a lot of sedation that makes them extremely disoriented and they’re usually handcuffed to the bed. A nurse was speaking to this person in French trying to get them to relax, but it just made them struggle more — so I told the nurse that the patient’s mother tongue was English and he might understand her better if she spoke in English. Within a few words — Mr. X, you’re in the hospital, you need to relax — my family member calmed down and stopped fighting the restraints.
Kevin 10:59 on 2024-07-31 Permalink
And I see that Roberge is restating his position –>
“The MSSS directive, like the Charter of the French language, clearly states that “an organization may deviate from the obligation to use French exclusively when health, public safety or the principles of natural justice so require.”
https://x.com/jfrobergeQc/status/1818658927828926622
Ian 11:11 on 2024-07-31 Permalink
This would be a great opportunity to revise the insane bureaucracy around getting a certificate of admissibility – logically, if your first child gets the certificate, it should apply for the parents and siblings too. Right now you have to get a separate certificate for each child, and it doesn’t apply to the parents.
It would also be a great idea to take it off the plate of the Ministry of Education.
That said, all official docs are under a huge backlog. My stepfather died just after Easter but I’m still waiting for the “official” death certificate from the Ministry so I can probate the will. I was told to expect to wait up to 6 months.
JaneyB 11:18 on 2024-07-31 Permalink
There will be lawsuits. This is not over. Imagine if someone dies or is seriously injured due to language delays…for sure this would be a gigantic problem for Legault’s government.
Kate 11:19 on 2024-07-31 Permalink
Kevin: Yes, Roberge tweeted. But it never gives confidence when a government says “we have it down and black and white that these are the rules” while also giving to understand that the rules can be bent. Anyone in any position can choose to be a bully when they can say “But it says here in the rule book, I didn’t have to speak English to that dying woman!” and get away with it.
Kevin 11:28 on 2024-07-31 Permalink
Kate
I don’t like any government that relies on ‘surely there’s an exception’ for its actions and policies, and like I said earlier, I think this policy leading is evil
jeather 12:00 on 2024-07-31 Permalink
I have eligibility, but do I have a certificate? Even if my mother still has one for me, what am I supposed to do, carry it attached to my medicare card?
I will say that when I have been at a French language institution, the medical professionals there have never been anything but helpful. I feel fine in French on a day to day level, but not for medical care.
Kate 12:02 on 2024-07-31 Permalink
jeather, that’s the same for me. Something with such serious possible consequences, you want things spelled out clearly.
jeather 12:09 on 2024-07-31 Permalink
And what about my mother, who has eligibility but long preceded needing eligibility? What about my friends from Ontario, who have eligibility but don’t have proof? At least I am semi sure there is a certificate, somewhere, for me.
steph 12:23 on 2024-07-31 Permalink
Sounds like we’re all in the same boat. Clearly received English elementary&highschool education here in Quebec in the previous century. And now what – am I showing up to hospitals with my yellowed high school graduation degree in hand?
Blork 14:17 on 2024-07-31 Permalink
Retirement plans now include moving to a different province. I just have to decide which I prefer: to die by forest fire, dampness, or boredom.
Nicholas 15:16 on 2024-07-31 Permalink
I would encourage people to find their Code permanent, which is the lifetime code the government gives you for education, and is on various educational documents. It is similar to your RAMQ number, but different: LLLF DDMM YYSS, where LLL is first three letters of your last name, F is first initial, DD MM and YY and as expected and SS is a sequential number to differentiate people with otherwise similar numbers (and a different sequential number from RAMQ, which also reversed the date to avoid confusion, doing YYMM DDSS). I just remember my sequential number and reconstitute the rest. I don’t know if they add 50 to the month for people born as a woman, like they do for RAMQ.
That number has your entire educational history in the province, so if you went to an English school then some database at the Ministry should have that info (please wait 6-12 months and pay the fee, maybe we won’t supply it, bonne chance!).
Joey 16:37 on 2024-07-31 Permalink
We’ve had the code permanent for decades and you still need to book an in-person appointment at the EMSB (no slots available, of course) to get the necessary documentation…
Ian 19:38 on 2024-07-31 Permalink
My kids have that code, but I don’t – I’ve lived here 30+ years but went to grade 13 in Ontario, I only moved to Montreal for university.
Blork 22:06 on 2024-07-31 Permalink
Not mentioned is that this will push many anglos into the private system, where it probably doesn’t apply.
dhomas 08:43 on 2024-08-01 Permalink
Pissing off anglos AND driving people to private healthcare? Sounds like a win-win to the CAQ!