Views expressed by individuals in these letters are not necessarily the views of the Anglo Society of New Brunswick

by Audrey Spence

I am an employee of Service New Brunswick in Sackville, and have worked as a call-in casual, being extended every three months for the last four years.

When a position for a part-time position became available and was posted, I readily submitted my resume which stated in detail that I had been doing the exact job for the last two years.

I never was granted and interview.

When I asked my manager why I was not considered for the position, he told me that I was not qualified for the job.

Flabbergasted, I asked him in what way I was not qualified. He replied that because I could not speak French, I was not qualified.

Now, up until the competition was run, the Sackville office was never considered a bilingual office. Also, the summer before, all N.B. employees were offered French language training at NBCC Moncton. Both myself and the full-time person in our office requested this training and we were both refused. But now, suddenly, I am not qualified to do the very job I have been doing for four years, only because I cannot speak French.

Where is the fairness in this? Whom do I turn to?

I have lived in New Brunswick all of my life, have raised a family here, have two sons in university and a daughter still to go in a couple of years. I pay taxes. I have worked hard, and competently for SNB for the last four years, only to have my face slapped when I wish to advance a little.

Audrey Spence
Sackville, N.B.