For immediate release                                                                         Wednesday, March 21, 2007
CPF Supports Commissioner’s Recommendations

Seven Suggestions to Improve Core French and French Immersion in New Brunswick schools

Fredericton – “Michel Carrier, New Brunswick’s Commissioner of Official Languages is ‘on-target’ with his recommendations for improving Core French and French Immersion programs in New Brunswick schools”, says Walter Lee, President of the Canadian Parents for French, New Brunswick Branch.

In his Annual Report, Mr. Carrier has addressed the concerns of parents and FSL (French second language) educators.  Mr. Carrier has made concrete recommendations for the government to act on, from recommending the government implement a system to enforce time-on-task requirements in French, to providing complete and concise information and promoting the benefits of FSL education to all parents, to incentives for producing more FSL teachers, to making it clear that French Immersion is the most effective FSL program and continuing to offer it in all areas of the province.

“We know that French Immersion is the best option to help us meet our goals for 2013” says Lee.  “We agree with Mr. Carrier that it is time to promote what is working in the Province and to strengthen the core program that needs revamping.  We can do something great here, but it will take the commitment of the district superintendents, the government and all the other stakeholders to make it happen.” 

Commissioner Carrier’s recommendations are welcome news to 1,700 members of Canadian Parents for French in New Brunswick.   We applaud the Commissioner’s recommendations and urge the government of New Brunswick to act quickly.  If our officially bilingual province is to stop the brain drain to the West, improve our education system to one of the best in Canada, and graduate bilingual high school students, we need to begin work immediately to improve our Core French and support our French Immersion programs.  Implementing the Commissioner’s seven recommendations will be a huge step to success in achieving our goals of quality FSL education in our province.  New Brunswick parents agree, a quality education includes education in a second language. 
 
The complete Annual Report can be found on the New Brunswick Commissioner of Official Languages web site, http://www.officiallanguages.nb.ca/publications/Annual%20Report%202005-2006.pdf.
Pages 34 to 42 refer to French second language education in New Brunswick.   
- 30-
For further information, please contact:
-Walter Lee, President, Canadian Parents for French, New Brunswick Branch
Email:  cpfnb.president@nb.aibn.com; Tel:  506-451-8843 (Work); 506-674-1025 (Home)

-Jane Keith, Executive Director, Canadian Parents for French, New Brunswick Branch; Email:  cpfnb@nbnet.nb.ca; Tel:  506-432-6584