Higgs hints he may eliminate language commissioner position

Premier Blaine Higgs is hinting his government will eliminate the position of commissioner of official languages when it updates the province's language legislation next spring.

Higgs told reporters it's possible another government entity, such as a proposed official languages secretariat under his authority, would do a better job promoting bilingualism than the commissioner.

"It is a very negative office, usually finding fault with one person or another, and you wonder to what extent has it provided a meaningful way to move forward?" Higgs said of the commissioner's role, which has existed since 2003.

The mandate of the independent watchdog position is to field complaints from New Brunswickers who feel they haven't received government services in the official language of their choice, as required by the Official Languages Act.

The position has no enforcement power. Governments are free to ignore a commissioner's recommendations. 

The role also includes promoting awareness of the merits of bilingualism in the province.

Higgs said some of the commissioner's tasks could be moved to a new entity, such as a secretariat within the government.

"What can we do in a secretariat that would be maybe what the official languages commissioner should be, or could be, doing as part of their mandate? I'm talking about marketing and promotion and awareness." 

Acadian Society of New Brunswick president Alexandre Cédric Doucet said the comments are alarming to francophones who look to the commissioner to monitor government's compliance with the act. 

"It is pretty clear from our understanding that he wants to abolish the office," he said. "He has to reassure the Acadian and francophone community that he won't do it." 

Late Wednesday Higgs issued a statement saying his comments were referring to the commissioner's role investigating complaints, "which can often be perceived as negative."

His statement also said he was referring to recommendations from an independent review of the language act last year, "which did not include the abolition of the Office of the Official Languages Commissioner."

But nothing in the premier's statement explicitly said the commissioner's office would continue to exist.

Social Development Minister Dororthy Shephard said Wednesday there have been "negative connotations and positive connotations" to the commissioner's role, but "we need to hear what she or he has to say at all times.