Reflection 17: The signs are incomplete

The last time that I checked hospitals are publicly funded. This means that they are owned by each and every citizen in the communities that they serve. Why then are the signs the largest hospital in the province in English only? Even the Welcome Booth is only English!

The hospital's mandate says that the hospital is responsible for Manitoba, Northwestern Ontario, and Nunavut. This is a very large area. I didn’t research how many French Canadians live in that area before writing this blog. But surely it is more than zero. The same holds true for First Nations people. Not everyone speaks and / or understands English.

It is true that translation services are readily available for citizens from Iqaluit, Brokenhead Ojibway Nation or St. Anne Manitoba. But wouldn’t it be hospitable and more welcoming to see visible signs of your native language on the walls of this publicly owned building? I suggest it would.


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