40 Years of Official Bilingualism in New Brunswick The provincial - TopicsExpress



          

40 Years of Official Bilingualism in New Brunswick The provincial government’s orientation with respect to its public service is set out in the Official Languages Policy of the government of New Brunswick. Introduced in 1988, this policy applies to all departments, agencies, institutions and Crown corporations and has two components: “Language of Service” and “Language of Work.” The Language of Service component ensures that government services are made available to the public in their official language of choice. The Language of Work component, meanwhile, encourages provincial employees to use their official language of choice in their daily work. The Official Languages Policy does not aim to create a public service in which all employees are bilingual but rather to provide for the establishment of bilingual working teams ready to serve the public in either French or English. The linguistic capacity of these teams is determined based on the nature of the service delivered and the region served. According to the provisions of this policy, no employee of the government of New Brunswick may be demoted or transferred for lack of skill in either of the official languages. In other words, the Official Languages Policy of New Brunswick does not force bilingualism on any provincial employee. The linguistic requirements of positions vary by department, region and the nature of the work. Some posts are designated as unilingual, others as bilingual. The English language continues to dominate meetings of Cabinet and the Executive Council Office (at the bureaucratic political level) in the province’s capital; however, it is no longer unusual to hear French spoken by members of Cabinet and other public employees. A few short decades ago, this would have been unthinkable. Linguistic duality within New Brunswick’s public service is, without any doubt, an asset and a source of pride. Institutional bilingualism applies to a broad range of interactions with the public, thereby making New Brunswick stand out in comparison to many other jurisdictions. This openness represents an investment in human capital, something generally perceived in a positive light by foreign trading partners. Meanwhile, the results of a survey conducted in the 1990s indicated that “having bilingual skills in a rapidly changing world made [an] employee much more flexible and more valuable to the company in their capacity to adapt.” From the perspective of a private-sector employer, knowledge of both official languages frequently constitutes an asset, particularly in the areas of business, administration, tourism, services, sports and recreation. Since adoption of the Official Languages Act in New Brunswick, businesses in the private sector pay increasing attention to bilingualism even in situations where they are not bound to offer services in both languages as is, for example, the public service. Companies see in bilingualism a way to increase customer satisfaction while also increasing profits. Language skills can play a role in terms of both improving a company’s competitiveness and helping it to penetrate new markets. Against the backdrop of the globalization of trade, many companies depend on competitive advantages such as the language skills of their employees. The capacity to offer service in two major international languages provides New Brunswick businesses a long-term advantage over their competition. A number of municipalities have followed in the provincial government’s footsteps by showcasing their bilingual demographics to attract business. These include Moncton, Bathurst, Campbellton, Saint John and Fredericton, through the various organizations responsible for promotion and economic development. In fact, promoting the bilingual status of workers is a key component of the economic development programs of the majority of New Brunswick communities. Greater Moncton, in southeastern New Brunswick, is one region where Acadians and Francophones have played a major role in the economic renewal, the turnaround in its fortunes being termed the “Moncton miracle.” Development of the call centre industry also brought benefits to urban centres in New Brunswick. Acquisition of both official languages benefits not only individuals but also society as a whole. According to one study, a society with two official languages “is more open to critical understanding, more supple in its appreciation of different ways of problem solving and more stimulated to becoming involved. This then creates a more dynamic cultural milieu that is receptive to economic innovation and experimentation. New Brunswick as a whole benefits from a richer cultural life reflecting the province’s linguistic duality. A dynamic artistic community helps to stimulate creativity, improve the quality of life of our communities, attract investment and tourism, create jobs and inspire youth. Research at the national level has shown that the potential for social cohesion is greater in situations where governments establish a balance between a strong common identity and measures demonstrating commitment to and the mobilization of cultural and linguistic communities. The manner in which we view and treat minorities has major consequences in winning their buy-in of our shared political experiment. These benefits have been both direct and indirect, individual and collective, real and perceived. Moreover, people’s understanding of the benefits of official bilingualism may vary widely depending on their point of view. Whatever the case, linguistic duality remains a fundamental characteristic of New Brunswick that sets it apart from the other provinces and territories. New Brunswick has opted for a path other than that of monolingualism, a path founded on its political vision based on the inclusion and recognition of its Francophone cultural minority. Discussions must also continue concerning two other questions: What mechanisms should we adopt and support in order to provide Anglophones the greatest possible opportunities to learn French? And what tools are necessary for preserving the vitality and language of the minority community? Although a long road may lie ahead with respect to achieving true equality, the New Brunswick Official Languages Act has played, and continues to play, a defining role in the pursuit of this objective.
Posted on: Fri, 02 Aug 2013 12:56:29 +0000

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