City of Fredericton – DON’T DO IT
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Views expressed by individuals in these letters are not necessarily the views of the Anglo Society of New Brunswick
70 Hill Street
Minto N.B.
E4B 3N3
(506) 327-6723
Dear Editor,
In response to the April 15th article in a local newspaper entitled ” Fredericton should be Officially Bilingual” by author Steve Banville and students at Ecole Sainte-Anne in Fredericton.
Just who is Steve Banville? Is he a long time resident and tax payer of New Brunswick ? Or is he from another province or country positioned here to push his minority language agenda on the city using the students to garner support from the general public?
The mayor and councilors should be very cautious about declaring the city OFFICIALLY BILINGUAL
If that were to happen voluntary minority services would no longer be sufficient and the city could then be forced by law to provide any services demanded, warranted or not.
Our elected representatives should have learned some lessons from the several costly language court cases and financial settlements that the province has had to endure since becoming officially bilingual.
For certain the city has many other necessary services to direct tax payer’s money to rather than legal fees to enforce unnecessary language demands.
It would appear that no matter how many bilingual services are offered there are those who continue to demand more. According to government records N.B. tax payers already provide $700 million annually for duplication.
One wonders what the response would be if a poll were taken asking city tax payers if they would be willing to accept a rate increase to support more duality?
When official bilingualism was introduced by the Trudeau government, bilingual services were to be provided in the federal government, the courts and the province of Quebec , but due to our weak English politicians it dominates many provincial jurisdictions and is now cleverly being foisted upon municipalities.
Nothing short of a tax revolt would draw the line on this costly push for an all French
province. Could we be witnessing shades of Germany in the 1930’s ?
Be Isolated, Be Ignored, Be Attacked, Be in Doubt, but do NOT be silenced.
Matthew Glenn
President, Anglo Society of N.B.
www.asnb.ca
Views expressed by individuals in these letters are not necessarily the views of the Anglo Society of New Brunswick
70 Hill Street
Minto N.B.
E4B 3N3
(506) 327-6723
Dear Editor,
In response to the April 15th article in a local newspaper entitled ” Fredericton should be Officially Bilingual” by author Steve Banville and students at Ecole Sainte-Anne in Fredericton.
Just who is Steve Banville? Is he a long time resident and tax payer of New Brunswick ? Or is he from another province or country positioned here to push his minority language agenda on the city using the students to garner support from the general public?
The mayor and councilors should be very cautious about declaring the city OFFICIALLY BILINGUAL
If that were to happen voluntary minority services would no longer be sufficient and the city could then be forced by law to provide any services demanded, warranted or not.
Our elected representatives should have learned some lessons from the several costly language court cases and financial settlements that the province has had to endure since becoming officially bilingual.
For certain the city has many other necessary services to direct tax payer’s money to rather than legal fees to enforce unnecessary language demands.
It would appear that no matter how many bilingual services are offered there are those who continue to demand more. According to government records N.B. tax payers already provide $700 million annually for duplication.
One wonders what the response would be if a poll were taken asking city tax payers if they would be willing to accept a rate increase to support more duality?
When official bilingualism was introduced by the Trudeau government, bilingual services were to be provided in the federal government, the courts and the province of Quebec , but due to our weak English politicians it dominates many provincial jurisdictions and is now cleverly being foisted upon municipalities.
Nothing short of a tax revolt would draw the line on this costly push for an all French
province. Could we be witnessing shades of Germany in the 1930’s ?
Be Isolated, Be Ignored, Be Attacked, Be in Doubt, but do NOT be silenced.
Matthew Glenn
President, Anglo Society of N.B.
www.asnb.ca