Article content continued

The issue is particularly pressing for older, vulnerable Quebec anglophones and allophones, the study’s researchers found.

“Although the data indicate that seven out of 10 anglophones know French, they can still face language barriers in their daily lives, especially in health care,” the study concludes.

“Indeed, the mother tongue is the optimal communication to discuss health problems and treatment options, especially when the patient is suffering or is very old. In this regard, this situation can be more problematic for nearly 6 per cent of people residing in Quebec who cannot speak French. (This group represents) 454,000 people who live in all territorial service networks in the province, not only in the Montreal area.

“The challenges are even greater for a core of 75,000 very vulnerable people: 13 per cent of allophones or nearly 1 per cent of the total population of Quebec who cannot speak French or English. The majority of these people live (in or) close to Montreal.”



Geoffrey Chambers, president of the English-rights Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN), said the study confirms what his members have observed for years.

“It’s a serious matter,” Chambers said in an interview. “There’s been lots of research on this. Everybody knows that if you can’t communicate with your medical service provider optimally, you won’t get a better outcome.”

“This is not (merely) a matter of linguistic pride,” Chambers added.