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Quebec
MONTREAL —
Mind your language
After two nurses got sacked from the Jewish General
Hospital last month for failing the mandatory French
exam, nervous English-speaking nurses are being seduced
by gleeful recruiters from the US, English Canada and
beyond, offering some sweet deals in terms of salary
and work schedules. For its part, the Quebec government
is trying to be flexible by giving nurses who aren't
quite grasping the language extra time (up to 18 months)
to pass the exam. DB
MONTREAL
— No
apologies Premier Jean Charest has taken a lot
of heat over his perceived vacillating and interminable
delays about where to build Montreal's French-language
megahospital. Alluding to the hospital deal and several
other perceived shortcomings, opposition leader Bernard
Landry went as far as to describe the Charest government
as "the worst in the history of contemporary Quebec."
Premier Charest was unapologetic. "It is eminently reasonable
for us to take the time needed to examine what this
project is," he said. DB
New
Brunswick
TRACADIE —
Doc takes government
to reform school Citing the government's miserly
healthcare reforms as her reason, Dr Rejeanne Rouselle
has announced she'll work her last shift in Tracadie
Hospital's emergency department this spring. Dr Rouselle
says the workload is becoming too much to deal with
and she fears the situation will only get worse this
April when the neighbouring hospital in Caraquet loses
its emergency room and is downgraded to a community
health centre. Health Minister and Tracadie MLA Elvy
Robichaud, says he's sorry to lose her but stands firmly
by the hospital plan. DB
Nova
Scotia
HALIFAX —
Unwelcome comeback
It's been called 'the great pox,' 'the French
compliment,' and Shakespeare's real cause of death.
Regardless of syphilis' spotted history and nomenclature,
the people of Nova Scotia aren't happy about a local
outbreak of this potentially deadly STI. Dr Robert Strang,
medical officer for Capital Health, fears the explanation
is that high risk sexual behaviours are becoming more
common, particularly among gay and bisexual men. Capital
Health, doctors, public health experts, gay groups and
AIDS organizations plan to meet later this month to
discuss how to raise syphilis awareness. BW
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Prince
Edward Island
CHARLOTTETOWN
— From
Bud the Spud to 'Frankenfood'? Pundits from as
far away as California are clamouring to take part in
the PEI potato debate. Should the land of the bright
red mud ban the use of genetically modified organisms
(GMO) in its agricultural industry? Environmentalists
accuse food industry giants of hoodwinking regulatory
bodies into believing GMOs are safe, but say Canadians'
health isn't worth the risk. PEI farmers, realizing
the subject is a hot potato in some countries, have
so far kept their spuds 100% GMO free. SB
Newfoundland
ST JOHN'S —
Unhealthy boards
Putting a damper on Premier Danny Williams' offshore
oil victory, highlights from the recent Auditor General's
report for Newfoundland and Labrador's health boards
offer a grim portrait of healthcare spending. No less
than 12 had annual operating deficits totalling $32
million at the end of the last fiscal year, while their
combined unfunded liabilities amounted to more than
$473 million. These liabilities include longterm debt,
severance packages and vacation pay, which will eventually
have to be funded by the province. DSS
The
Territories
IQALUIT, NU —
Cosmopolitan north
The Government of Nunavut has made job offers to 20
nurses in India and the Philippines to help fill 33
vacancies at new health centres in Rankin Inlet and
Cambridge Bay — both scheduled to open this year.
The territorial government intends to make offers to
an additional 38 nurses after their references and qualifications
are checked. The arrival of the new nurses will be phased
in over more than a year. In the past, Nunavut has hired
nurses from as far afield as Australia. JG
Contributors:
Hector Andrews, Simon Biggar, Donna Byers, Lance Davies,
Geoff Everett, Jane George, Thane Jenkins,
Julie J. Mercier, Carla Sparks, Deana Stokes Sullivan, Brent Woodford
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