CALEB NICKERSON
SHAWVILLE Oct. 9, 2018
On Oct. 9, representatives from the Centre intégré de santé et services sociaux de l’Outaouais (CISSSO) were in the Dale Thomson room at the Centre D’Accueil Pontiac (CAP) to get feedback from local residents.
The meeting opened with administrative council President Lucie Lalonde explaining that the group travels all over the Outaouais once a year to conduct such meetings.
“It’s, for us, a way to get in touch with the people that we’re serving,” she said.
She quickly gave the floor to CISSSO Director General Jean Hébert, who apologized for his poor English and spoke largely in French. He briefly went over their progress from the previous year, pointing to projects like the new endoscopy and dialysis units at the Pontiac Community Hospital.

He also pointed to priorities for the coming year, which included developing a “proximity governance” and improving first-language professional services.
Pierre Fréchette, former candidate for Warden of MRC Pontiac and current member of the CISSSO board of directors, led the question and answer period, which took up the remainder of the meeting.
“Some of you know me from other circumstances,” he began, noting that he’s lived in both the rural and urban areas of the Outaouais and knows of the challenges specific to different regions.
“2015 is only three years ago, and when management, meaning government, tried to implement a new change into the way services were going to be provided,” he continued, urging attendees to engage in respectful, constructive discussion. “Somebody during one of the meetings that we previously went to was pointing and shouting and yelling. It will not happen tonight, it will not be acceptable. Try to be civilized and open in your questions and comments. That’s all we ask.”
The first question was in regards to the loss of local control and governance over local institutions and services. Hébert explained that he is forced to comply with the mandate he is given by government.
“I can’t talk for the new government, but I will have a meeting with the new minister within two weeks, so we’ll know their orientation,” he said. “It’s a big change in the past three years, we were nine [health establishments] and there’s one now,” he said.
“Unless the government decides to change, by law, we’re still the Centre intégré de santé et services sociaux de l’Outaouais and like I said, we want an improvement to be made in the proximity of the management and access to services.”
When questioned later about having a local contact for complaints and concerns, Hébert said they would be hiring a local spokesperson in the next two months and elaborated on some of the changes that had had come about with the implementation of Bill 10.
“We had 75 upper management people,” he said. “In the CISSS, we have an authorization for 37. That means that 38 upper management people, they’re not there anymore. So, they were doing things for the community, so there’s a gap now, between the 37 and middle management.”
Dr. Tom O’Neill questioned what the organization is doing to keep medical and nursing students in the region once they’re done their schooling.
“What can we do to try and attract our nurses, which we previously have done here, who are now crossing the border to work in Ontario?” he asked.
Gail Ryan, Director of Nursing, explained that they would be making efforts to promote healthcare careers in local schools, to get students interested before they decide their post-secondary pathway.
Many questions related to the proximity of services, ranging from orthopaedic specialists to child psychologists. Many Pontiac residents have to commute hours into Gatineau for services that used to be offered locally.
CISSSO staff assured attendees that they would be working to streamline the referral process for seeing specialists in Gatineau, as well as work to offer more services in the region. The head of human resources said that child psychologist services would be returning to both Pontiac and Maniwaki in the next few months.
O’Neill asked if the phone greetings given by local workers could be given in English and French. Fréchette asked if that was necessary.
“The thing is, I find if people are stressed [language is a tool to put them at ease],” he said, switching from back and forth between languages. “It’s just for the population, where we’re dealing with a 50/50 population, is it possible to say hi, or something like that, to reassure them. I think it’s a good thing to do.”
The Equity asked Hébert if he or any of his staff had been consulted by the incoming CAQ government about their election promise to build a new hospital facility in the Outaouais, and if they would support such a project. He was succinct.
“The answer is no,” he said.
When asked about the status of the Thomson House, Hébert said that they would be open to private contractors taking over operations of the facility.
“I had a meeting with André [Fortin] and the [Warden] in January I think, about what we can do with that building,” he said. “I told them that if you can find an entrepreneur here that can take the building and offer … [resources for those with special needs] we will look at it. But right now we did not have any proposals or anything.”
Josey Bouchard of the Voix Pontiac Voice Facebook group, asked about homecare services. Nicole Boucher-Lariviere, deputy director of the local seniors program, answered her query.
“I can tell you that homecare services have been increasing significantly in the past years. We’ve increased nurses, we’ve increased social worker positions,” she said. “We used to stop at 25-30 hours a week, but in some cases we give a lot more than that, especially if someone is waiting for a place in a nursing home. We’ve almost doubled the amount of hours that are given in homecare and we’ve also increased in or clients. I can say on average that there’s no waiting list in the Pontiac for these services.”
When the subject of paid parking was brought up, Hébert appeared rather glib, urging locals not to raise the issue, as it has been suspended.
“Don’t talk about it and I won’t talk about it,” he said.
At the meeting’s close, Fréchette urged residents not to hesitate when contacting the CISSS with their questions and concerns.
Those wishing to reach CISSSO’s complaints and quality assurance commissioners can call 819 771-4179 (toll free: 1 844 771-4179).