There is a lot of variation across the region. For example, in the western part of the region, the City of Sault Ste. Marie has declared itself to be unilingual Anglophone. So, there are very little openings there. In fact, health care services in French are practically non-existent there. And because Francophones constitute an aging population in that region, the negative impacts on them are significant.
In the far east — for example, in the North Bay region — there are slightly more services available in French. On the other hand, considering the percentage the Francophone population represents — almost 25% — health care services in French are practically non-existent. Let's not forget that one quarter of the population is French-speaking.
In the central region, Sudbury does provide health care services in French. Unfortunately, there are some major deficiencies: health care services in French are not always offered consistently. I'm sure you know that there is a regional hospital. At the present time, as far as designations are concerned — in other words, being recognized as an institution that provides health care services in French — the regional hospital is not considered to be one of those. In fact, it has a partial designation which corresponds to about half. This has been dragging on for years.
I have to say that providing services to Francophones is really not considered a priority in these institutions. On the other hand, things are better there than they are in the rest of the region. In certain polls, such as the Sturgeon Falls region, the population is quite different: almost 70% of residents are Francophone. So, Anglophones are the ones that are in the minority. That is really interesting. In fact, there is one institution — a general hospital — where services are provided in French and English, because Anglophones demand to be served in English. However, we are well served in both languages and we feel comfortable, whatever our culture — in other words, both Anglophones and Francophones. As far as we are concerned, that is a great model.
Under the national project called Setting the Stage, which you are aware of, these are what we call points of access; this also has to do with jurisdiction over culture. Whether you are Anglophone or Francophone, in a health care institution, it is critical to feel comfortable — to be able to request services in one's own language and, as a professional, to be able to provide them. That, too, is a problem.
We have voiced our support for the Canadian Nurses Association. This summer, the Association travelled across Canada and stopped in Sudbury to consult with nurses and find out more about the challenges they are facing. One nurse said that when she spoke French, she was told by her boss to stop. She was very young and was from Hearst, a Francophone-dominated area. So, she was in shock, in a way. There were ten or more nurses present, including some from Sudbury that were older and more experienced and who were nodding their heads as she spoke, as if to say: yes, that is the reality.
So the issues have a number of sources: historic problems, public awareness, funding, and human resources. The fact is that we do not have enough Francophone health care professionals. We also have to tackle that problem. The provision of services is highly variable, sometimes anecdotal, from one part of the region to the next.