Premier extends self-imposed deadline on updating Official Languages Act

Premier Blaine Higgs has given himself an extension on his self-imposed deadline to decide by this month how to update the province's Official Languages Act.

Higgs had promised to officially respond to independent recommendations in June, but with the end of the month just hours away, he announced Thursday afternoon he would take more time.

The premier wouldn't say if he's even leaning to implementing some of the more mundane recommendations, like a requirement that he respond to investigations by the commissioner of official languages within 90 days.

"It may be just my nature that I want to understand exactly the implications before I sign off on something and not later find out, 'Wow, we never really thought that would be the issue,' or, 'We can't imagine how that would really work,'" Higgs said.

"I know it may be considered that we should have had time by now, but it hasn't exactly been a slow season, a slow session, and I just don't like to rush things.

"Some of the things we had to move on, we had to get done, and this one, I think, we can take the time to make sure we get it right."

Delay 'sending the wrong message' says Acadian Society 

On June 10 the premier told reporters that "we'll be responding in the month of June. … We are committed to having a response this month and we will do that."

The language law requires a review every 10 years, and in December a report authored by a former education official and a provincial court judge made several recommendations:

• The creation of a Department of Official Languages to co-ordinate the province's compliance with the law, and a standing committee of the legislature to oversee it.

• A requirement that a government institution respond to a complaint to the commissioner of official languages within 30 days and that the premier respond to the result of a commissioner's investigation within 90 days.

• The explicit inclusion of nursing homes in the requirements of the legislation, though with a gradual approach to making them comply with bilingualism obligations.

• Further steps to ensure provincial public servants can work in their choice of English or French.

Acadian Society of New Brunswick president Alexandre Cédric Doucet said the government has had plenty of time to consider those recommendations.

"It's pretty clear that this non-answer that this government has a lack of leadership in terms of official languages and is sending the wrong message to the Acadian community," he said.

"After six months, after 40 pages of recommendations, it's pretty awful, this response from the government." 

Higgs said Thursday that he realized "the francophone population may say, 'he's up to something,' because that's usually how it is. … I'm not up to anything. I only want to ensure that we do have equal opportunity in our province for both linguistic groups."

He promised that any amendments to the Official Languages Act to implement his decision on the recommendations would be introduced when the legislature sits in the fall.

Official Languages Commissioner Shirley MacLean said she was also disappointed in the delay.

"What is the point of a review process when the government does not provide a response to ensure that the recommendations resulting from the consultations are implemented in a timely manner?" she said in a statement.

"Our province's Official Languages Act and two linguistic communities deserve better."

Tracadie courthouse closure also announced 

Not long after the government revealed the delay, it also announced the closure of its courthouse in Tracadie, which it said had been hearing only minor provincial court matters on about four half-days each month.

Justice Minister Ted Flemming said in a news release the lease on the building was expiring and it made sense to consolidate the services in Bathurst, where most court matters from the Tracadie area are already heard.

Doucet said the timing of both announcements on the day before the long Canada Day weekend sends "a negative message" to francophones.

He said if the two announcements had been made before two provincial byelections held on June 20, Higgs's Progressive Conservatives would have lost the provincial byelection in Miramichi Bay-Neguac, costing them a new Acadian MLA.