Nouvelles

Telegraph-Journal
31 octobre 2009, p.A4

Quebecers back health authorities court challenge
Reform: High-profile figures join group hoping to reverse amalgamation of health authorities

Adam Huras

A New Brunswick constitutional challenge aimed at reversing the amalgamation of the province's health authorities now has the support of three prominent Quebecers.

High-profile francophone political figures Benoit Bouchard and Benoit Pelletier, and internationally distinguished AIDS physician Dr. Réjean Thomas now join a group opposing the 2008 decision to meld the province's eight regional health authorities into two.

Égalité santé en français au Nouveau-Brunswick now believes the francophone voice of discontent with the New Brunswick government's decision will grow across provincial borders.

"This will expand our message to all of the francophonie," said committee president Dr. Hubert Dupuis in Montreal. "If you try to destroy one homogeneous linguistic institution, you could do the same elsewhere.

"That is the message we will convey to the rest of French-speaking Canada: The greater aspect of things creates a greater headache for the Graham government."

The group is challenging the constitutionality of the provincial health merger, arguing that the move took away francophone governance within the system.

The committee primarily objects to the fact that the reforms eliminated the only francophone health authority in New Brunswick, the Beauséjour Regional Health Authority.

Bouchard is a former federal minister and a former Canadian ambassador in France.

"I believe it's a kind of collegiality as a francophone," Bouchard said after being asked why he now stands behind the constitutional challenge. "With all the minority groups in the country it makes you more sensitive to those communities.

"I was very surprised to learn what was going on in New Brunswick because I didn't believe that we could still reconsider the question of linguistic rights."

Bouchard is most prominent for his term as in Transport during which he authorized Transport Canada to slash a subsidy VIA Rail Canada by 55 per cent in a round of cost saving cuts.

He later said that eventually no one would remember his name for making the decision.

Former New Brunswick health minister Mike Murphy, who implemented the health authority changes, maintains something similar: They were made to save the province millions of dollars in health-care spending by reducing the duplication of services.