Michel A. CarrierCommissioner of Official Languages

for New Brunswick

Official Languages Act

Act Recognizing the Equality of the Two

Official Linguistic Communities

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

Broader scope (cities, municipalities with 20% minority population, private organization acting for the government)

Active offer of services

Establishment of position of Commissioner

Review of Act after 10 years

82% of the population supports the concept of official languages

legislation

• 97% of Francophones• 75% of Anglophones

Source: Continuum Research

Northern New Brunswick 73% of Francophones identify with the

Francophone group only

Southeastern New Brunswick 52% of Francophones identify with the

Francophone group only

Rest of province 33% of Francophones identify with the

Francophone group only

Source: Statistics Canada, Survey on the Vitality of Official-Language Minorities

“If a majority Francophone community, within a

municipality, for example, allows its language

to be absent from commercial and public

signage, that means it is allowing English to be

the high language and French the low

language, allowing English to be the legitimate

language in public, and French, a private

language, used only for informal meetings and

with family and friends. ” [Translation]

Rodrigue Landry

Michel A. CarrierCommissioner of Official Languages

for New Brunswick