The Professions of Speech-Language Pathology
and Audiology in Canada: Some Historical Observations
This series of three articles will reflect on the history of
speech-language pathology and audiology in Canada. The historical
observations will focus on three major influences:
- The Professions Are Recently Established
in Canada (January, 2003 - see below)
- Influences from the United Kingdom
and the United States (short version published in Communique,
January 2004)
- The influence of Geography (short
version published in Communique, January 2004)
3. The Influences of Geography
The Yukon (1994) and Northwest Territories (2000) Associations
were founded recently and until 1978, there was an Atlantic
Provinces Speech and Hearing Association. When it was dissolved
each Atlantic province established its own association.
Professional Meetings
Geographic distances influenced attendance at professional
meetings. Professionals who were educated in the U.S. or the
U.K. had professional and sometimes family ties and attended
national meetings there. For professionals working in Canada
the U.S. state and national meetings were often a shorter distance
than meetings across Canada.
For example, The Manitoba Speech and Hearing Association still
has reciprocity with the North Dakota Association and a member
of one is given member rates at the others' conference. For
professionals in Northwestern Ontario, Winnipeg is closer than
Toronto.
Documenting the history of the professions in Canada as distinguished
from the professional associations is limited by scattered sources,
few archives, and distances. The histories that are published
are more devoted to the provincial and national associations'
milestones than to services.
When Kuttner in his 1969 survey of provincial associations
lists employment settings (only from provincial association
members), there are significant differences among provinces.
In 1969, the percentage of those working in medical settings
ranged from 80% in Quebec to 30% in Manitoba. School employment
settings ranged from 63% in Manitoba to 11% in B.C. and 6% in
Quebec. Ontario had the largest percentage in private practice
(18%) with none in Saskatchewan. Kuttner's numbers refer to
members of provincial associations. The membership represented
all the professionals in the province only in Manitoba and Quebec,
the two provinces with legislation regulating the profession
with compulsory membership in the association.
The history differed in each province and territory depending
on the agencies, the sites of service, the education of the
professionals and the status of provincial legislation regulating
the professions. Dates of legislation range from 1961 Manitoba
to 2002 Alberta (See Chart). Several provinces are currently
working toward legislation.
Because many of the provincial associations were established
before the national association, and the national association
was dependent on the provincial associations for invitations
to hold meetings and for distributing information via provincial
newsletters; provincial membership was larger, more integrated
and stronger than the national association in the early years.
As late as 1981 there were more members of provincial associations
than in the national. Then there were 712 members of CSHA and
798 professionals who were members of their respective provincial
Speech and Hearing Organization but nor CSHA members.
The personnel who came from other countries were by their very
nature mobile. Some, as noted in directories, worked in several
provinces in Canada. In the early days of the profession in
Canada, women did not always continue working after marriage.
The shortage of qualified personnel allowed and even encouraged
mobility within and among countries. Some who came returned
to their country of origin after working in Canada. Others who
went to other countries for their professional education stayed.
All of these factors contributed to the lack of stability of
the professional personnel. The lack of stability also delayed
the development or professional associations and affected the
commitment of the mobile members and the mentoring of leaders
in the professions.
Summary
This series has discussed three of the many issues that influenced
the professions in Canada: "The Professions are Relatively
Recent in Canada; "Influences of the United States and
the United Kingdom Professions and "The Influences of Geography".
Besides these three there are many others. Of major influence
were the important contributions that individuals made regarding
standards, legislation, educational institutions, and professional
associations.
Additional contributions were made from research carried out
by many in the profession in Canada, and the pioneering efforts
of many on providing services in the North and in rural areas.
There are the research and clinical practices innovations that
should be recognized as well.
Comments and additions are welcome and should be sent to the
author % CASLPA.
References:
Bentham. Christie, (1998) The Origins Of OSLA (OSHA) OSLA Connection,
25, 1, Feb. 1-2
Brown, Betty Byers, (1971) Speak for yourself: The Life of a
Speech Therapist, Educational Explorers, Reading, England
Canadian Speech and Hearing Association Bylaws. Dated 1965 with
Amendment July 1971 published in Human Communication 1973 70-74
Canadian Speech and Hearing Association, Directory, 1965
Canadian Speech and Hearing Association Directory. 1971
Canadian Speech and Hearing Association. (1973) Directory, Personnel
in Canada alphabetically arranged, Human Communication, Number
2, autumn, 39-54
Canadian Speech and Hearing Association (1973) Directory, membership
in professional associations, 59-62
Eldridqe, Margaret (1968) A History of the Treatment of Speech
Disorders, E & S Livingstone Ltd Edinburgh and London
Insight (no author listed) (1975) A questionnaire designed by
Human Communication's staff with answers from two of Canada's
Speech and Audiology Departments. Human Communication No.4 Spring
21-32
Jacobson, John T. (1982) A Personal income and employment survey
of Canadian speech and hearing professionals. HearHere, 6.4.
142-151, June
Kuttner, Paul. (1969) Speech Pathology and Audiology in Canada,
Institute of Otolaryngology of McGill University and Royal Victoria
Hospital, 2nd Printing
Malone, Russell L. (1973) An Interview with John Gilbert. Human
Communication, Number 2, Autumn. 12-27
Martin, Virginia (1996-7) History Hall, Communiqué Birth
of an Association (1996) 10,3, July Name Changes Over the Years,
(1996) 10,4, October History of our Conferences (1997) l1.l,
Feb
History of Publications (1997) 11,2, April
Martin, Virginia (1995a) The Manitoba speech and Hearing Association:
Our first Three years Hearsay, 15,1. Spring, 12-18
Martin, Virginia (1998b) What is an LCST? From the Archives,
Hearsay, 15, 1, Spring, 12-16
O'Keefe, Bernard (1982) Interview, ASHA Magazine, July, p459-61
Rosen, Jeanette King, (1971) Comparative Professional Preparation
for Speech Pathology and Audiology in English Speaking Countries,
Published by J. Rosen, Sidney, Australia
FOUNDING YEARS OF PROVINCIAL/TERRITORIAL ASSOCIATIONS.
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND
LEGISLATION REGARDING THE PROFESSIONS IN CANADA
1951 La Corporation Professionnelle Des Orthophonistes et Audiologistes
du Quebec (Now the Ordre des Orthophonistes et Audiologistes
du Quebec)
1956 University of Montreal.
1957 British Columbia Speech and Hearing Association. Now the
B.C. Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists
(Currently The Provincial! Territorial and the National Associations
except for Manitoba and Nova Scotia have the names of the professionals
represented in the association name)
1958 Manitoba. Saskatchewan and Ontario Speech and Hearing Associations
University of Toronto
1961 Legislation in Manitoba
1963 McGill University,
1963 Atlantic Provinces Speech and Hearing Association
1964 Speech and Hearing Association of Alberta (SHAA)
1964 Canadian Speech and Hearing Association
Legislation in Quebec
1969 University of Alberta
University of British Columbia
1970 University of Western Ontario
1976 Dalhousie University
TASK formed became New Brunswick Speech and Hearing Association
Atlantic Provinces Association dissolved and each province to
form its own association Newfoundland Speech and Hearing Association
Speech and Hearing Association of Nova Scotia New Brunswick
Speech and Hearing Association (evolved from TASK) 1979 PEI
Speech and Hearing Association
1989 Legislation in New Brunswick
1990 Yukon Association of Speech-Language Pathologists
1992 Legislation in Saskatchewan
1993 University of Ottawa and Laurentian University
1994 Legislation in Ontario. College of Speech-Language Pathologists
and Audiologists of Ontario
1996 Association Québécoise des orthophonistes
et des audiologistes founded.
Chart Excerpted from
Martin, Virginia. (1998) The Manitoba speech and Hearing Association:
Our First Three Years. Hearsay. Volume 15, Mo. I
Spring
Note: Subsequent to the publication of this article additions
are: The Association of the Northwest Territorial Speech-Language
Pathologists and Audiologists; Educational Program at the University
of Laval and Legislation regarding the profession in Alberta
(2002). SHAA became The Alberta College of Speech- Language
Pathologists and Audiologists.
