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Article published In: Language Problems and Language Planning
Vol. 46:3 (2022) ► pp.291–317

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Translation policy in health care settings in Ontario

Problems, challenges and language ideologies

ORCiD logo with link | Jilin University
Published online: 19 July 2022
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.21049.wan
Abstract
In a world of increasing globalisation, governments, including Canada, face ongoing challenges in their efforts to integrate immigrant languages and to communicate with their users in public service settings. By exploring the translation policy in health care settings in Ontario, Canada, this research investigates how immigrant language barriers in health care access are addressed there, and probes into ideologies around the issue of immigrant language integration. Ontarian translation policy in health care settings is pragmatic yet cautious and laissez-faire. It indicates inclusiveness to accommodate immigrants; but it also reveals considerable tensions and hesitations. The belief that translation is a necessary measure to secure immigrants’ equal health care rights has been largely overridden at the regional and institutional level in Ontario, hindering further planning and more effective provision. The inadequate value designated to translation in terms of immigrant integration by government authorities, the ambiguous and ambivalent stances of Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network and some hospitals on translation provision against budgetary concern and the expectation for linguistic homogeneity all play roles in determining the flexibility and fluctuation of translation policy in health care settings in Ontario.
摘要
在全球化时代，许多政府都面临着如何在公共服务环境中与移民语言使用者沟通这一议题。通过调查加拿大安大略省医疗健康场所的翻译政策，本研究致力于探究安大略省如何应对移民在使用医疗服务时的语言障碍问题，并从中析出翻译信念和语言态度。研究结果显示，安大略省的医疗翻译政策是个多管理层级、多机构、多种意识形态共同参与作用的复杂多面体。尽管政府宣称移民是组成社会文化多样性的重要部分，其获取医疗服务的平等权利理应得到保护；然而，翻译服务做为保障该权利的必要手段尚未获得足够重视，其仍在很大程度上被政府和医疗服务机构认为是面向新来者的暂时性应对措施，甚至是财政负担，进而疏于协调规划，踟蹰不前。
Resumo
En mondo kie tutmondiĝo intensiĝas, registaroj, inkluzive la kanadan, frontas daŭrajn defiojn al siaj klopodoj integrigi lingvojn de enmigrintoj kaj komunikiĝi kun siaj uzantoj en la kunteksto de publika servado. Ekzamenante la tradukan politikon en sanservado en Ontario, Kanado, la nuna studo esploras la tiean pritrakton de bariloj al lingvoj de enmigrintoj en ties aliro al sanaj servoj, kaj sondas la ideologiojn kiuj ĉirkaŭas la demandon de integrado de lingvoj de enmigrintoj. La ontaria traduka politiko en sanservaj medioj estas pragmata sed singarda kaj neintervena. Ĝi indikas inkluzivemon por akcepti enmigrintojn, sed samtempe montras streĉitecojn kaj hezitemon. La kredo, ke tradukado estas necesa paŝo por sekurigi la egalajn rajtojn de enmigrintoj al sanservado, estas esence ignorata je regiona kaj institucia nivelo en Ontario. Tio malhelpas plian planadon kaj pli efikan provizadon. Neadekvata valoro atribuata al tradukado en rilato al integrigo de enmigrintoj fare de registaraj instancoj, la ambiguaj kaj kontraŭdiraj starpunktoj de la Centra Toronta Reto por Integrigo de Lokaj Sanservoj (kaj ankaŭ de iuj lokaj hospitaloj) en rilato al livero de tradukado – fronte al buĝeta zorgado kaj antaŭvido de lingva homogeneco – ĉio ĉi ludas rolon por decidi pri flekseblo kaj fluktuado de traduka politiko en sanservaj medioj en Ontario.
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • Language policy and translation policy
  • Methodology
  • Translation policy in the health care settings of Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network: Hesitating and sporadic efforts
    • Federal legislation that presupposes translation in health care settings
    • Translation is a tool to secure equality and non-discrimination
    • Translation as a measure to enable integration
  • Problems, challenges and underlying ideologies
    • Lack of planning efforts
    • Slack management
    • Translation is a budgetary burden
    • Translation is for newcomers
    • Translation as accommodation versus linguistic acculturation
  • Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Note
  • References
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