Graham: Emotion clouding parents' judgment
A noisy, emotional minority won't stop changes to New Brunswick's education system, vows Premier Shawn Graham.
"There is a silent majority of New Brunswick parents who want a quality bilingual education for their children that is not being afforded," he told reporters Friday.
The Liberals are eliminating early French immersion and core French in grades 1 to 4 this fall. They are replacing it with intensive French in Grade 5 and the option of French immersion starting in Grade 6.
The change has been condemned by many groups. A protest in front of the legislature last week attracted about 300 people.
"On some of the issues emotion is very important," said Graham. "But pertaining to education today, I feel emotion has clouded the real reason on why we are bringing forward an improved education system now that is going to provide bilingual opportunities for every student in the province."
The Liberal government's popularity is well ahead of the opposition Tories. The premier was asked if he was worried about his ratings.
"Polls go up and down," he said. "We came into this mandate knowing that we could not build up political capital just to horde political capital."
Graham said he was elected to make difficult decisions.
"Those decisions will benefit the majority of New Brunswickers and that is what drives our government's agenda of change," he said.
To become self-sufficient, New Brunswick needs an activist government, said Graham.
"We will be judged with the confidence of knowing that we made the best decisions in the interests of all New Brunswickers," he said.
In the legislature Friday, Graham gave the final speech in the budget debate.
In addition to praising his government's budget and economic record, the premier also announced that Jean Castonguay will be New Brunswick's new associate deputy minister of health for French.
Appointing such an associate deputy minister was a Liberal election promise. Andree Robichaud, the first person to hold the position, was recently appointed head of the new regional health authority A.
Castonguay worked in the health-care field for 25 years before becoming assistant deputy minister of revenue and taxation in the Department of Finance in 2003.
Interim Tory Leader Jeannot Volpe said that the more arrogant the government acts, the easier it is for the Tories to gather public support for the next election in 2010.
"It is really helping us because they are going against New Brunswickers," he said.
Volpe warned that Graham doesn't enjoy the same size election victory that former premier Frank McKenna won in 1987, when the Grits won every seat in the province.
More City & Region
Search Articles
More CE Network Sites & Partners:
Comments (33)
All comments are subject to the site Terms of Use. For a full commenting tutorial click here.
Our editorial team relies on filtering technology and our visitor community to identify inappropriate comments. In the event that a site user has submitted offensive content that has evaded our filter, please select the option to Flag As Inappropriate presented within the comment. Thank you for helping to keep this site clean.
You know what, I haven't called Kelly Lamrock fat nor have I said Shawn Graham has a big nose. Perhpas they could show us the same respect and stop throwing insults our way. We will not forget your demeanor at the polls next time Mr. Graham.
I have to laugh how it all comes back to the removal of EFI, when in fact everyone needs to look at the big picture. Even if you are in favour of this decision you have to take a step back and ask (if you have children) do I want the choice for my child going into grade 6 - Intensive French OR Late French Immersion. Those are your choices. Gone are the days of LFI and the English program with Core French. For all those against French have fun! You have had your right to choice taken away from you from this moronic Liberal Government. Wake up everyone and write to your Premier and tell him you want choice. Apparently everyone thinks this is an EFI issue, think again, this is FORCED Immersion on everyone starting in Grade 5 in the province of NB.
NB's newest PC supporter
And people. People! Just because a politician is rocking the boat. Just because he is daring to do something different for a change. Willing to take a risk to ensure the future of a solid bilingual province. I don't think this means we need to toss him out. And for the love of what ever god you hold dear... DON'T vote PC, I'd much rather my political incompetence come with civil liberties rather than my lips firmly planted on GWB's butt.
I'm giving the party to the end of the week to regain some sanity then I am going to do something I never thought possible. I will join the Tories and spend the next two years pouring my energy into ending this sham of a government.
When there is a government that is as blatantly disrespecting its citizens like this one, you are compelled to move above politcal loyalties. Political loyalty is what has lead to so many bad decisions.
Liberals...call your leaders and smack them around a bit until they get the message that this is going to be a one term government if they dont' change their tune.
This is not about French Immersion. It's about bad government. Simple.
Emotional? Anti-Christian? Are you kidding me??????
The Ombudsman's investigation outcomes will be VERY embarassing for this government. Then we'll see who's emotional.