Montreal protesters decry French-language law impacts in hospitals

English community and civil rights groups rallied outside of the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal on Sunday against Quebec's French-language law.

It was the latest protest against the law, which came after demonstrators said gains were made against it in the National Assembly.

Antoinette Mercurio, 64, said she came to the emergency room at the Jewish General Hospital in need of medical assistance last year but that the triage nurse wouldn't speak to her in English.

"I shouldn't be pressured into speaking another language, especially when I'm distressed for medical reasons," she said from the protest on Sunday. "At the time, I didn't know, but it turned out to be uterine cancer."

Mercurio said that there were no other language issues during her treatment but that the experience led her to join a coalition of groups protesting outside of the hospital.

The coalition is against the newly amended French-language law, and they say it places linguistic barriers on Quebec's diverse communities, especially in health care settings.

"In a life and death situation, it shouldn't matter what language you're talking about," said Let's Talk About Quebec director Marc Perez.

There has been criticism and widespread confusion over Quebec's new French-language directives for the health-care network, which were released on July 18.

On Thursday, a motion was unanimously passed in the National Assembly, ensuring no one requires a certificate to receive health care in English.

Many of those who gathered on Sunday said the motion is a step in the right direction, and it was long overdue.

"We can see that with the legislation that was just passed this week, that there was a need for clarification," said Perez.

Others say the motion is too late.

Katherine Korakakis said she's already had to fight to get service in English.

"I have a sick child, [and] I went to the Montreal Children's Hospital, and it was very difficult to get access to information and training for parents in English," said the English Parents Committee Association president.

Korakakis and Mercurio say they will continue to fight the law because they want to make sure no one has to experience what they went through.

"You can't treat people that way," said Mercurio. "We're citizens just like everybody else."

The Jewish General Hospital said it is designated to provide health care in a language other than French when required by the user.

It added that any issues or complaints should be directed to the ombudsman's office.

The French Language Minister did not respond to requests for comment from CTV News.