Petition:
Safeguarding the Right of Access to Health and Social Services in English

Petition text

WHEREAS access to health and social services is a fundamental right;

WHEREAS this right to such services in English, as identified in access programs reviewed by the Provincial Committee and approved by the minister, is assured by the Act respecting Health and Social Services (the Act) and includes the recognition of bilingual institutions under the Charter of the French Language;

WHEREAS, for the last 35 years, eight Premiers of Quebec have safeguarded this social contract to ensure access to services in English as well as the Provincial Committee mandated to monitor and make recommendations for modifications to assure this access;

WHEREAS the government is disbanding this committee, undermining independent community input and oversight — contrary to access assured by section 348 of the Act and section 76 of Bill 10 — without consultation and without consideration of the Provincial Committee’s recommendations regarding the access programs submitted to update the 10-year-old pre Bill 10 programs;

WHEREAS the committee regulation amendments undermine the committee’s independence, community connection and credibility – and replaces its members by others identified and selected by government bureaucrats, while obstructing community consultation and communication;

 
We, the undersigned, demand that the Government of Quebec re-affirm immediately the mandate, independence, connection to the community, and modalities of the Provincial Committee on the dispensing of health and social services in the English language to secure the right to health and social services in English and thus, respect the social contract.

The signing period for this petition is over.

Signing deadline : December 8, 2021

Number of signatures : 4533

Need help?

Telephone: 418 643-7239 or, toll free, 1 866 337-8837
Email: renseignements@assnat.qc.ca