The Anglophone Rights Association of New Brunswick does NOT oppose bilingualism as is being stated by some publicly.  Those who are perpetuating the notion that ARANB is opposed to bilingualism are intentionally attempting to avoid meaningful discussion that would lead to fair and equitable resolution to the issues.

There are issues with respect to the “implementation” of bilingualism in New Brunswick that must be addressed to ensure fairness to both Anglophone and Francophone/Acadian communities within New Brunswick.

Some of these issues include:

1. Legislation to ensure fair and equitable participation in the public service by both Anglophones and Francophones that reflects the society they serve.
2. Establishment and implementation of fair and reasonable language proficiency levels.
3. Updating language testing processes and procedures both in the Anglophone education system and for employment within the public service. This includes all first responders.
4. Lack of government consultation on issues pertaining to the Anglophone community in New Brunswick.
5. Unacceptable levels of literacy and language competency for our Anglophone youth.
6. Imbalance in government funding for our education and healthcare systems.

We feel it is incumbent upon Premier Higgs and his government to initiate and facilitate meaningful discussions with Anglophones and Francophones that will lead to resolutions of the issues to create a better future for all New Brunswick.

All New Brunswickers have the right to have representation at the table for the Official Languages Act review, to express concerns and solutions to issues on how the OLA is implemented.   The Act affects ALL New Brunswickers and until a fair balance is reached, the divide between the linguistic groups will continue.

ARANB Board of Directors