Bilingualism…Why NB Cannot Attract New Businesses
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70 HILL STREET
MINTO, NB
E4B 3N3
(506)327-6723
Dear Editor,
It was interesting to hear a recent CBC panel discussion on health care and the ability, or lack thereof of Anglophones to occupy positions deemed bilingual essential. Two of the panel members appeared to agree, as the Anglo Society has for over a decade that the current method of teaching the French second language has failed the majority miserably. After 12 years of emersion a small percentage of English students are able to pass the test required for such positions.
It would appear that governments, past and present purposely maintain the status quo so minority New Brunswickers will continue to have an advantage over the majority English job applicants.
It’s obvious there is a hard line language pressure group within and outside government that opposes the education departments implementing changes that would bring fairness to all within the bilingual job market.
The opposition Liberals has been hammering the government about the lack of new business that would bring more jobs to the province. Well there lies the problem. Many small businesses operate on a slim profit margin, therefore when faced with the added cost of duplication such as advertising, labeling, signage and the possibility of having to pay higher wages to attract bilingual employees, New Brunswick is no longer an attractive province to locate.
Other countries see the writing on the wall and are hiring our English teachers or sending their students here or other provinces to learn the English language.
If positive changes are not forthcoming to curb the brain drain New Brunswick will remain in the black hole of deficit and debt for decades to come.
EINSTEIN once said “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing expecting a different result”
Sincerely,
Matthew Glenn, President
Anglo Society of N.B.
www.asnb.ca
70 HILL STREET
MINTO, NB
E4B 3N3
(506)327-6723
Dear Editor,
It was interesting to hear a recent CBC panel discussion on health care and the ability, or lack thereof of Anglophones to occupy positions deemed bilingual essential. Two of the panel members appeared to agree, as the Anglo Society has for over a decade that the current method of teaching the French second language has failed the majority miserably. After 12 years of emersion a small percentage of English students are able to pass the test required for such positions.
It would appear that governments, past and present purposely maintain the status quo so minority New Brunswickers will continue to have an advantage over the majority English job applicants.
It’s obvious there is a hard line language pressure group within and outside government that opposes the education departments implementing changes that would bring fairness to all within the bilingual job market.
The opposition Liberals has been hammering the government about the lack of new business that would bring more jobs to the province. Well there lies the problem. Many small businesses operate on a slim profit margin, therefore when faced with the added cost of duplication such as advertising, labeling, signage and the possibility of having to pay higher wages to attract bilingual employees, New Brunswick is no longer an attractive province to locate.
Other countries see the writing on the wall and are hiring our English teachers or sending their students here or other provinces to learn the English language.
If positive changes are not forthcoming to curb the brain drain New Brunswick will remain in the black hole of deficit and debt for decades to come.
EINSTEIN once said “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing expecting a different result”
Sincerely,
Matthew Glenn, President
Anglo Society of N.B.
www.asnb.ca