Back to SearchDIEPPE, NB — The municipality, whose mission is to shine as an inclusive and modern Francophone city, proud of its Acadian roots, offering first-rate services and infrastructure in harmony with the environment, regularly takes the lead in various initiatives that allow its French-speaking residents to flourish, while also offering services in both official languages.
The City of Dieppe has therefore chosen to submit a brief as part of the review of New Brunswick’s Official Languages Act, in which it expresses the importance it attaches to official languages from the perspective of protecting and promoting the French language, while ensuring that services are also provided in English.
Dieppe serves as a portrait of the province of New Brunswick in terms of official languages, albeit on a smaller scale. It has a Francophone “majority” of over 70% and an anglophone “minority,” not to mention a growing newcomer population. In this context, the various actions taken by the City demonstrate that it is possible for both official language communities to co-exist in harmony and mutual respect.
One noteworthy consideration is that English-speaking residents often choose Dieppe due to the vitality of the French language and the respect for English in the programs and services offered. Those residents see benefits for themselves and their families.
However, there are still improvements that could be made to allow both official language communities to thrive even more fully in the municipality. The aim of past and present efforts has always been to foster the community’s development in its various spheres of activity.
In particular, the City wishes to draw attention to certain aspects that could improve the situation of Francophones in New Brunswick:
Recommendation 1
It is important that the Government of New Brunswick follow its own laws. Having an official languages act in place is one thing, but complying with it is what matters.
The City of Dieppe proposes making improvements to the Act and then implementing them to ensure that every citizen is able to receive services in both official languages regardless of where they may live in the province.
Recommendation 2
For many community, social and economic stakeholders, the long-term viability of New Brunswick’s Francophone community depends largely on attracting and retaining French-speaking immigrants. Efforts must be stepped up in this regard.
The City of Dieppe calls on the provincial government to take measures to maintain the linguistic balance in the province and even target increasing the proportion of Francophones by ensuring that 50% of new immigrants are Francophone.
Recommendation 3
It is widely recognized that the financial and human resources of the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages for New Brunswick are inadequate. The Commissioner and her staff are consequently not in a position to carry out their full responsibilities.
The City of Dieppe recommends that the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick ensure that the necessary resources are provided to the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages for New Brunswick so that it is able to carry out its full responsibilities under the Official Languages Act.
Recommendation 4
Many recommendations to the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages remain unimplemented. For example, it is inconceivable that our municipal employees are unable to interact in French with numerous senior officials within the provincial government. Why are our citizens unable to gain access to services in French when they travel to certain parts of our province? Road signage around the province should reflect the linguistic composition of individual regions by placing French first in the Acadian and Francophone regions. Background music in provincial buildings should take into account the linguistic composition of the region where they are located. These are just a handful of many examples in this regard.
The City of Dieppe recommends that the provincial government develop action plans, as provided for under the act, in order to implement the various aspects of said act.
Recommendation 5
Regulation 2002-63 under the Official Languages Act sets out linguistic obligations at the municipal level. It addressed highly specific front-line services associated with communications with residents. This regulation needs to be revised in order to go further.
The City of Dieppe calls on the provincial government to form a provincial/municipal committee mandated to:
a. review Regulation 2002-63 under the Official Languages Act to expand the linguistic obligations of the municipalities and commissions subject to the Act; and
b. propose a way forward and a timeline for implementing the current Act and any new linguistic obligations.
The City of Dieppe is ready to participate in the initiative by providing leadership and commitment to this committee.
“Although the City of Dieppe’s situation is relatively positive, it must be acknowledged that the French language is still very vulnerable, both within the city and in New Brunswick as a whole. It is therefore time to give a real boost to the current Act by ensuring that it is upheld and improved,” said Mayor Yvon Lapierre.
“We believe that our recommendations are part of the solution to achieve equality between the two linguistic communities in Canada’s only officially bilingual province,” concluded Mayor Lapierre.