CFN – What the heck is going on with the Cornwall Community Hospital and their board? Since the Bilingual Nurse scandal hit they have been very elusive.
I was to have an interview with Hospital Chair Helene Periard Tuesday. First I had to agree to not ask about individuals. I said that was fine. I requested copies of the French Language tests.
I was told by Jolene Soares that these tests were administered via tape from their provider New Avenues Linguistic Services inc. from Ottawa.
Of course no company can release info about a client without consent from the client.
I shared that we have full audio and video capabilities and even a sampling of the tests would help the public understand what employees have to qualify for.
I then received another email demanding that my questions be sent in advance.
My response was that was unacceptable which seems to be the consensus with those I’ve spoken to about it since.
This morning the Chair backed out of the interview.
This hospital is supposed to be a community hospital which has seen unprecedented community support.
Why on earth should the board and hospital not be answerable to the community?
We will be updating this story. You can post your comments below.
PLEASE PUBLISH THE ACT OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOM ALSO THE DEFINITION OF DISCRIMINATION AND BULLING. AND THE LAWS OF THE CANADIAN LABOR BOARD. FOR ANYONE THAT NEEDS TO BE REMINDED THANKS.
Looks like the Hospital will be answering questions Wednesday at the South Stormont Council meeting, wink wink
By their responses it would seem that Hospital Chair Helene Periard has elevated herself and her importance to the hospital to lofty new heights. Only movie stars and Prime Ministers require a list of the questions to be asked in an interview. Is something going on that we don’t know about?
where there is smoke there is fire,DrTombler let the smoke out,the ones in management trying to control the the fire, seems like a lot, of secrets being kept, What else is new in Cornwall
The Chair certainly acts like a bully.
Shame, shame double shame on the board not following thru on the interview..come front and centre and step up to the podium and clear up the controversy and get on with business of Health Care, the Circle of Care, and those who proudly work dedicated to, inspite of your language issues. This very PUBLIC COMMUNITY HOSPITAL and the patients we care for deserve and explanation and deserve the right to know why are you hiding Ms Periard ? Where there is smoke there is fire. When you choose to make your own rules applicable to benefit bilingual funding as you declared, then back up you preach and say. Allow this community that the hospital foundation advocates to raise funds for new equipment etc. the citizens and the workers of this community and our children and grandchildren have the right to know the truth why you were a no show and why you can’t practice what you preach., Ms Periard fix this problem and make it right, make it go away. Instead of smearing the Hospital and the citizens of this fine city of something that wasnt broken and didn’t need fixing, leave well enough alone for the paItients sake and let the foundation get on with their jobs of receiving donations for the better equipment and an MRI so people dont have to travel to other cities, that they may not be able to get to. Step up to the mike or step down, The patients do not need a smear campaign nor does the City of Cornwall as a whole population. Since our City council have washed their hands not to get involved, and shame on them also for turning their backs like cowards.
Yes Anne, shame on them indeed! You can only hide for so long, We’ll see what they have to say tomorrow night. It better be an admission of guilt, fix it and get on with business. The people have not done this to the hospital, they have done it to themselves……Sold us all out under the FLSA. Well it’s time to get back to reality and fairness!!!!!!
How many hats does Ms Periard wear? Wasn’t she a principal for the Roman Catholic School Board, then Chair of the Cornwall Police Dept. and now Chair of the Cornwall Community Hospital?
Maybe it’s time to retire.
Your article stated, “I was told by Jolene Soares that these tests were administered via tape from their provider New Avenues Linguistic Services Inc. from Ottawa.” This is interesting, because I have been told first hand that the very tape you refer to is badly distorted and very hard to understand, causing many who speak French fluently to only obtain an Intermediate level (not sufficient for bilingual positions) and many of those mother tongue French testers to only receive an Advanced French level (required level for bilingual position) instead of a Superior French level which they should have. I am also personally aware of at least one such mother tongue tester who paid themselves to retest at the company in Ottawa where a clear CD was used, not a tape, and they easily obtained their Superior French rating. Seems a little skewed in favour of those who are mother tongue French to me.
This also begs the questions, is there an oral English test for French applicants and more importantly, since the official written business language of the hospital remains English, do French applicants also have to pass an English written exam?
Reading this about tapes and CD’s leads to more questions about fairness. An audit of Human Resources methods, results, procedures, policy, testing and expectations should be completed by an independant auditor.