Language cops cave on name

BY ANDY BLATCHFORD

The Chronicle

After an 18-month wait, the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) has confirmed the bilingual status of the body that oversees the West Island’s major health institutions.

The Centre de santé et de services sociaux de l’Ouest-de-l’île can now be legally

recognized by the alias: West Island Health and Social Services Centre.

The two-year-old network, which is in charge of operations at the Lakeshore General Hospital, the Lac St. Louis and Pierrefonds CLSCs and the Denis-Benjamin Viger long-term care facility, applied for bilingual status with the OQLF in spring 2005, board chairman Sheila Laursen told The Chronicle. The delay was worth it, she said.

“We are really proud now that we can come forward with that name that really reflects the linguistic duality of our territory,� she said during a news conference on Monday. “It’s hard enough to understand the health care system these days. To be able to now have an English name as well as a French name is just great and we will take full advantage of that.�

When the four local health institutions merged, three had bilingual status, so the board expected to easily acquire two-

language recognition. But because CLSC Pierrefonds had never applied for

multilingual status from the OQLF, a more detailed application process was

necessary, she said.

At the Quebec language department’s request, the hospital initiated a two-month long language survey of its patients. About 60 per cent of respondents’ first language is English, Laursen said.

She said the network’s establishments have always offered services in both languages.

Jacques-Cartier MNA Geoff Kelley said the confirmation is “good news� for the region. “The West Island has always prided itself on offering quality health-care services in English and French,� he said.