Abitibi CISSS wants better English service for Cree
The Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de l’abitibi-témiscamingue is consulting the population on ways to improve its English-language services, an important issue for the Cree communities of the region.
The move comes after the Viens Commission on relations between Indigenous people and public services brought to light in 2019 the problem of access to English services at the region’s hospitals.
According to figures from the 2016 census, the Abitibi-témiscamingue region has 5,005 people for whom English is the first official language spoken, and 1,865 who speak English and not French. That works out to about 3.4 per cent anglophones in the region, lower than the 12 per cent average elsewhere in Quebec.
The challenge is mainly for the Cree population, for whom Abitibi-témiscamingue is an important hub for health and social services. “It’s a challenge for us, because we’re in a very francophone region,” said Sarah Charbonneau, a planner with the regional health authority. “Many of our Cree patients are not residents of Abitibi-témiscamingue, but we have to treat them anyway.”
There is another language barrier, according to Dr. Darlene Kitty, the only Cree doctor in Quebec, who is based in Chisasibi, 600 kilometres north of Rouyn-noranda. “Many of our members speak English and Cree,” she said, “but some elders only speak Cree, which can create communication problems with the professionals. These people are often accompanied by an interpreter, but it creates problems if the professionals aren’t fluent in English.”
The problem becomes more acute with social services, particularly mental health. “Many professionals in the region speak English, but you have to think about all the levels of the organization, from reception to specialized services,” Charbonneau said.
Kitty said professionals in the region should be more aware of cultural realities of the Cree. “If I had recommendations to make to the CISSS, it would be for professionals to learn a bit more about the Cree. There’s not just the traditions, but many members lived through residential schools, which had an impact on their health. In this context, it’s important that the relationship between caregiver and patient is one of equals.”
Charbonneau said the CISSS is “working in parallel with our Indigenous partners to try to solve the cultural challenges in our practices.”
The online consultation ends Aug. 28. Afterward, researchers with the CISSS will do more indepth interviews based on the responses received.
Kitty said the Cree Board of Health and Social Services “is ready to collaborate to improve services.”