Former premier says don't follow in N.B.'s footsteps
OTTAWA - New Brunswick's decision to scrap early French immersion sends the wrong message to other provincial governments about the importance of linguistic duality in Canada, says the prime minister's adviser on official languages.
Former New Brunswick premier Bernard Lord said not allowing children to take French immersion until later is a missed opportunity for students hoping to learn both official languages.
"Hopefully, no other government in Canada will repeat the mistake they made in New Brunswick," said Lord, who joins a growing list of prominent New Brunswickers criticizing the decision.
Lord was in Ottawa on Tuesday to testify in front of a parliamentary standing committee on official languages.
He was appointed special adviser by Prime Minister Stephen Harper late last year.
Lord studied the status of minority language communities and organizations across the country.
During his testimony, Lord told the committee that his former Progressive Conservative government's plan was to try to increase the number of bilingual graduates in the province to 70 per cent.
"That will be more difficult now because the government of New Brunswick has decided to eliminate the immersion program," he testified.
He said some parents in English communities across Canada are waiting in line for days to enrol their children in French immersion programs.
Finding more ways to increase and promote bilingualism throughout Canada are at the heart of Lord's report.
Much of his testimony on official languages was heavily scrutinized by Acadie-Bathurst NDP MP Yvon Godin, who accused the former New Brunswick premier of producing a vague report.
The pair, who disagreed on almost every point in the report, did agree that early French immersion must remain an option for New Brunswick students.
"I think it's sad because the parents should have the right to decide," said Godin.
Education Minister Kelly Lamrock recently announced that starting this fall, French immersion and core French in Grade 1 through Grade 4 would be eliminated.
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I have even heard rumors of the many people leaving the Liberal party forming a third party over the EFI fiasco. If COR was able to form and thrive for a time after the utter defeat of the PCs by McKenna, a pro-bilingual group of ex-Liberals should be able to make a go of a third party when Graham is finished dismantling the Liberal Party of NB.
Hmmm, how does one register a political party in New Brunswick?
132The Chief Electoral Officer shall not register a political party where
(a)he is of the opinion that the name or the abbreviation of the party set forth in its application for registration so nearly resembles the name or abbreviation of another established political party as to be likely to be confused therewith; or
(b)in the application for registration, the name of the party includes the word “independent”.
1974, c.12(Supp.), s.30; 1978, c.17, s.3.
133(1)Subject to sections 131 and 132 and subsection (2), the Chief Electoral Officer shall register in the Registry of Political Parties any political party that files with him an application for registration signed by the leader of the party setting out:
(a)the full name of the party;
(b)the party name or the abbreviation, if any, of the party name to be shown in any election documents or official materials;
(c)the name and address of the party leader;
(d)the address to which communications intended for the party may be addressed and where its books, records and accounts, including those pertaining to contributions to and expenditures by the party, are maintained; and
(e)the names and addresses of the officers of the party.
Also, Lord quick jumping of ship shows his true character...coward!
The elimination of early French in NB will not influence the other provinces one iota. None of them have any intention whatsoever of heading down this road. They are too busy training doctors, engineers, nurses, technicians, designers, teachers, and other folks that will help build their province.