Canadian Jewish News in its December 14th, 2000 issue reported that Frank Duchoeny has been battling for his profoundly deaf nine-year-old son to get a cochlear implant. Despite Duchoeny’s insistence that his son, Ryan, qualifies fully under established criteria, the Quebec City’s Hotel-Dieu Hospital and by Quebec Medicare would not authorize the procedure. The reasons given: the child’s age, and the fact he can use sign language. Duchoeny, who also has been approaching the Jewish community for support, says the implants are performed on children his son’s age who can “sign,” and that, in any case, according to established criteria, this ability does not justify disqualification. The real explanation, be believes, boils down to money. “[Health Minister Pauline] Marois is simply not willing to spend it,” said Duchoeny, a computer technician. “My child is number one to me, but too many people are being screwed by the system.” Canadian Jewish Congress, Quebec region, for its part, agreed to send a letter to Marois, asking her to review the Duchoeny dossier, regional community relations director Richard Silver told The CJN.