In New Brunswick, specialized health care services mainly developed in the southern, or more anglophone part of the province. So francophones must always travel to obtain services. Aside from being sick, they also feel financial stress from this.
We often get asked for support in obtaining a francophone seniors' home in a mostly anglophone region. Sometimes, they move francophones three hours away from their families, which is really inhuman, in my opinion.
Pursuant to the Official Languages Act, they must offer French-language services to all francophones who request them, but we know that is not always possible. For instance, I know someone in Saint-Jean who knew he was going to have an operation. He had to reserve French-language services on the given date, but you cannot always plan these things: there are emergencies.
When Bill S-3 was passed, the federal government slipped up, which I find unfortunate. I have yet to get over it and I don't know if I ever will. It's as though the right hand has no idea what the left hand is doing.
When this bill was passed, we won a case before the Federal Court to obtain RCMP services in French in all of New Brunswick. Then, the federal government decided to appeal that ruling. It should never have happened. However, we did prevail before the Supreme Court. That is even stronger.