Lettters June 7th

Telegraph-Journal
June 7th, 2008

EFI decision should embarrass Premier

On May 29, the Federal Commissioner of Official Languages, Graham Fraser, released his annual report. In it he specifically mentions the New Brunswick Minister of Education and the changes made to French second language education.

The report reads: "... the Commissioner is concerned about the recommendations made by the commission charged with reviewing French-as-a-second language programs and activities in New Brunswick and the decision of the province's Minister of Education to end early immersion programs. A very larger majority of experts still agree that immersion, and early immersion in particular, is the best way to learn a second-language."

Premier Graham should be embarrassed that his Department of Education has been specifically and negatively named in the Commissioner's report.

I'm tired of hearing expert after expert prove how wrong it was to eliminate EFI. Premier Graham, it is time to prove that you know what the right decisions are: reinstate EFI and remove Kelly Lamrock.

JENNY DOUCETTE, Fredericton

Daily Gleaner, June 7th, 2008
Policy is tainting other MLAs

This is an open letter to Liberal MLAs.

Rest assured while education may not be your portfolio, you are all being tainted with Education Minister Kelly Lamrock's experiment in social policy.

In private, you may have questions about his plan to eliminate early French immersion or force all children into an experimental intensive French program.

You may even completely disagree with his decision but, we the public, will never know unless you take a stand.

Great politicians and public servants are not known for their ability to toe the party line. Rather, we respect and admire those willing to take a stand against poor policy and bad decisions.

After this fiasco, Kelly Lamrock will be nothing more than a footnote in the pages of New Brunwick political history. Those who step forward to put an end to this mockery of our bilingual culture will be the individuals our children will be learning about and discussing as models years from now.

Take a stand, MLAs.

You represent the people of New Brunswick, not the Liberal Party of New Brunswick.

Force the premier and education minister to reverse the FSL changes.

Sue Park, Saint John, N.B.