Voters on Quebec's North Shore focus on language rights and health care

As Quebec heads into Monday's election, CBC spoke with voters across the North Shore to hear which issues mattered most to them. Many said Englishlanguage rights, access to health care, housing, and the cost of living were among their top concerns. Retired educator Stephen Kohner of BaieComeau said he wants clearer, more practical plans from politicians, especially on immigration and language policy. He also said residents in the region often have to travel long distances for medical care, leaving many to pay significant outofpocket costs for transportation, food, and lodging. Priscilla Fequet Griffin of St. Paul's River said debate over language in Quebec makes her feel that Englishspeaking residents are being treated unfairly. She also pointed to the difficulty older residents face when trying to book appointments through online systems. Other residents raised similar concerns. Alicia Buffitt of SeptÎles said housing, affordability, and the retention of young people are key issues, while hairstylist MarieMichèle Cyr said the region needs better access to services, housing, transit, and lower airfares. Emergency physician JeanSébastien Otis said past changes to family doctor deployment have made recruitment harder in remote regions like the North Shore.