03/31/2026
George Boulanger grew up in Berens River, Manitoba and became fluent in Ojibway at an early age, a gift he has carried with him throughout his life. As an Interpreter for nearly 19 years, he has been providing a comforting connection to home for Indigenous patients through language.
“What we do is very important. We’re like a bridge of communication,” said Boulanger, who has been a member of the Indigenous Health team at Health Sciences Centre (HSC) for 17 years. “These language barriers prevent patients from fully understanding medical terminology and their diagnosis.”
As an Interpreter, Boulanger simplifies complex medical terms and relays them in Ojibway to ensure information is thoroughly understood between health care providers, patients and their families all while maintaining patient privacy and dignity.
“Patients coming from First Nations communities are often faced with a language barrier and that is where we come in,” Boulanger explains.
Jason Swan is from Lake Manitoba First Nation and has worked in the health system in a variety of roles for nearly 18 years. Swan speaks fluent Ojibway and is currently a Discharge Planning Coordinator, an important member of the health-care team that helps ensure patients from First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities have a care plan before they leave HSC.
“I always get asked if I speak the language, and as soon as I tell them I do, they light up,” Swan said with a smile. “When they know you’re from a First Nations community and speak their tongue it helps break down their walls a little bit.”
Manitoba’s health system recognizes National Indigenous Languages Day on March 31 as an opportunity to honour the rich linguistic heritage of First Nations, Inuit and Métis across the province.
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Winnipeg Regional Health Authority Southern Health-Santé Sud Prairie Mountain Health Northern Health Region Interlake-Eastern Health CancerCare Manitoba
