Report on the Consultation Meetings with Acadian and Francophone Communities in the Atlantic Provinces. 2001.

A report on four provincial meetings with Acadian and Francophone community representatives, organizations organized by PPHB Atlantic to discuss interests, current activity and potential future collaboration in the area of health promotion.
By JGV Consultants Inc.
36 pages
...html
...download full report (399 KB)

Description

This report describes the process and outcomes of four provincial consultation meetings with representatives of Acadian and Francophone communities in Atlantic Canada, held in March 2001. The purpose of this consultation was to enable Health Canada's Population and Public Health Branch, Atlantic Region, to identify the needs, priorities and expectations of Acadian and Francophone communities in the area of health promotion. It was also designed to inform these communities about Health Canada programs and to highlight the department's current projects and efforts to support Acadian and Francophone communities in the Atlantic region.

The meetings were held in Summerside, Prince Edward Island; Moncton, New Brunswick; Dartmouth, Nova Scotia; and St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. A total of 51 people participated in the consultations. Participants included representatives of Acadian and Francophone community groups and organizations concerned with health, as well as officials from the provincial departments of Health and Canadian Heritage. While every meeting was different, 10 common themes arose in all of the consultations:

• Health and quality of life are important to the development of Acadian and Francophone communities in Atlantic Canada.
• Acadians and Francophones do not know enough about PPHB programs, and suggest that PPHB Atlantic establish regular mechanisms for both informing and consulting them.
• There is little data about the health of the Acadian and Francophone population, making it difficult to plan programs. It is important that funding be made available for research to provide specific data on this population.
• There is a shortage of health workers who speak French.
• Language policies of the provincial departments of health are a source of frustration. With a few exceptions in areas where Francophones are highly concentrated, health services are not available in French.
• Minority language organizations do not have sufficient resources for health promotion.
• There is a lack of coordination and consultation around Francophone health issues, and the organizations involved are not operating with a common strategy.
• Acadian and Francophone organizations and community groups have concerns about PPHB's funding criteria, administrative procedures and short-term funding programs.
• Specific health promotion programs are needed for seniors, women and youth.
• Acadians and Francophones are generally scattered over a very large geographic area. PPHB Atlantic programs need to take this into account.

Credits

Report on the Consultation Meetings with Acadian and Francophone Communities in the Atlantic Provinces was produced by JGV Consultants Inc. for the Atlantic Regional Office of the Population and Public Health Branch, Health Canada.

Availability

This publication is available for download in English (399 KB) and French (403 KB). You will require the Adobe Acrobat Reader.

For more information on obtaining copies of the document, call or write

Public Health Agency of Canada
Suite 1525, 15th Floor, Maritime Centre
1505 Barrington Street
Halifax, NS B3J 3Y6
Tel: (902) 426-2700
Fax: (902) 426-9689
E-mail: atlantic-atlantique@phac-aspc.gc.ca