🎧 Episode 109: Canada’s Interpreting Crisis? Where the Law Stops, the Problems Start

In this episode of the Localization Fireside Chat, I sit down with five influential voices from across Canada to unpack one of the country’s most overlooked issues — the state of interpretation in healthcare and beyond.

If you think language access is a solved problem, think again. We dive into the disconnect between legislation and real-world access, the emotional burden on interpreters, and what it’ll take to move from performative policy to meaningful support.

This conversation brings together perspectives from government, healthcare, and interpreter advocacy — and it’s not holding back.

💡 What you’ll learn in this episode: ✅ Why Canada's interpretation system is still fragmented ✅ How community interpreters carry more than just words ✅ The policy gap between language rights and actual access ✅ What burnout and underfunding look like behind the scenes ✅ What a unified national standard could really change

📌 Chapters: ⏱ 0:00 – Welcome & Episode Setup ⏱ 2:45 – Meet the Panel: 5 Voices from Across Canada ⏱ 6:30 – What’s Broken: From Booth to Policy ⏱ 15:20 – Training, Credentials & Systemic Gaps ⏱ 23:40 – Frontline Challenges in Healthcare ⏱ 32:55 – Budgeting for Equity ⏱ 45:10 – What Needs to Happen Now ⏱ 56:30 – Final Thoughts & What’s Next

📢 Connect With Us: 🎙 Listen to the Localization Fireside Chat Podcast: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5OoURgc29R31XPGzOWL9iX Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/localization-fireside-chat/id1688770183

🌎 Visit My Blog: https://www.robinayoub.blog

📩 Let’s Connect: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinayoub/ Email: [email protected]