New Brunswick’s official languages commissioner says more senior provincial officials need to be able to speak both English and French.
In her fourth annual report, released today, Katherine d’Entremont says a survey of francophone organizations and municipalities showed only four of 21 said that French was always used at meetings with senior public servants.
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She says that is unacceptable in Canada’s only officially bilingual province.
D’Entremont also says she is concerned that bilingualism was not a stated requirement in competition advertisements for three legislative officer positions, including the chief electoral officer.
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She says bilingualism should be a legislated requirement for those positions.
D’Entremont says in the past year her office received 114 admissible complaints – with 92 based on a lack of service in French and 22 on lack of service in English.