Bill 34: Tories want new RHAs officially labeled francophone and anglophone

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FREDERICTON - The Liberal government introduced measures Wednesday aimed to quell the uproar over their health care reforms.

Cindy Wilson/Telegraph-Journal

Dr. Hubert Dupuis is president of the Committee for Equality of Health Services, a collection of doctors from the old Beauséjour health authority. Like the Opposition, the group wants the authorities officially pegged as francophone and anglophone. And, they want authority A recognized as an Acadian institution.

Critics, however, quickly dismissed the efforts as unsubstantial and hollow.

Health Minister Mike Murphy introduced three amendments to Bill 34, which will reduce the province's regional health authorities from eight to two.

As of September, health authority A will be located in Bathurst, while authority B will be run out of Miramichi.

Murphy said the amendments will ensure the new boards of directors reflect the linguistic community they serve, meaning mainly francophone members on the board of authority A.

The work of each board will also be conducted in their majority language. For authority B that would be English.

As well, hospitals will maintain their current language of work.

Murphy was quick to use the example of the Dr. Georges-L. Dumont Regional Hospital in Moncton, where daily business will continue in French.

"All New Brunswickers have the right to be served in the official language of their choice," Murphy said in the legislature.

"It doesn't matter where they live, it doesn't matter what hospital they go to or what other health service they require - they have this right.

"It's one health system that serves everyone in the language of their choice."

But the changes did nothing to soothe the Conservative Opposition.

Shippagan-area MLA Paul Robichaud said the amendments amounted to little.

The Tories want the new health authorities officially labeled as francophone and anglophone.

"The modification that he brought today was supposed to fix that issue," Robichaud said.

"It is an empty shell, there is nothing there "¦ he changed nothing."

Dr. Hubert Dupuis was also left discouraged.

The family doctor is president of the Committee for Equality of Health Services, a collection of doctors from the old Beauséjour health authority.

Like the Opposition, the group wants the authorities officially pegged as francophone and anglophone. And, they want authority A recognized as an Acadian institution.

As well, Dupuis is calling for the boards of directors to be partially elected, as opposed to the current plan for appointment-based boards.

"Our demands have not been met. They fell short of what we were asking," he said.

Dupuis said the group will now push the Opposition to forward further amendments.

Regardless, the bill appears poised to pass easily.

Murphy said Wednesday his reforms are needed to boost efficiency and trim costs.

"What we have eliminated are the eight duplicate systems of administration and the eight duplicate systems to deliver non-clinical services," he said. "Doing so brings an end to the silo approach to health care delivery in our province."

But the move has also prompted loud objections.

On Tuesday, about two dozen people gathered in front of the legislature to protest the government's effort to end an Opposition filibuster on the matter.

Opposition Leader Jeannot Volpé had spoken for more than 30 hours on the bill. Eventually the Liberals introduced a motion to limit that debate to another 15 hours.

Debbie Lacelle, co-chair of the New Brunswick Health Coalition, said the government is thwarting the democratic process by limiting debate.