Language rights in health care

Fredericton, December 18, 2014 – Language rights as they relate to health care are the subject of a new factsheet released today by the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages for New Brunswick.  

“Access to care in the official language of one’s choice is not just a constitutional right,” said Official Languages Commissioner Katherine d'Entremont. “It is one of the most important factors in the quality of care. In fact, communication is at the heart of the helping relationship between the health professional and the patient.”

Language rights of New Brunswickers explained

Fredericton, November 20, 2014 – The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages for New Brunswick is releasing today on its website the first in a series of factsheets on the language rights of New Brunswickers. This first factsheet describes the linguistic obligations that provincial departments and Crown corporations have towards citizens.

Language commissioners urge governments to increase Francophone immigration outside Quebec

Ottawa – Fredericton – Toronto – OCTOBER 30, 2014 – The Commissioner of Official Languages of Canada, Graham Fraser, his New Brunswick counterpart Katherine d’Entremont and Ontario’s French Language Services Commissioner François Boileau are pressing the federal and provincial governments to step up their efforts to increase immigration in Francophone communities outside Quebec. They are also pushing for the adoption of four guiding principles to ensure immigration contributes to the development and vitality of these communities.

2013-2014 Annual Report

Commissioner of Official Languages Proposes Measures for Improving Delivery of Bilingual Services

Fredericton, June 17, 2014 – In her first annual report, the Commissioner of Official Languages, Katherine d’Entremont, presents five recommendations for improving the delivery of government services in both official languages. Specifically, d’Entremont proposes that the required levels of second-language proficiency for bilingual positions be more clearly defined and better monitored.

Ambulance New Brunswick – New Brunswick’s Official Languages Commissioner urges the Department of Health to step in to ensure compliance with the Official Languages Act

Fredericton, April 24, 2014 – New Brunswick’s Official Languages Commissioner, Katherine d’Entremont, is urging the Department of Health to assume its responsibilities and require that Ambulance New Brunswick (ANB) comply with the Official Languages Act. That is the first recommendation made by the Commissioner in an investigation report following an incident which occurred in September 2013. Ambulance NB has acknowledged that neither of the two ambulance attendants dispatched to assist a Dieppe resident was able to speak French.

Immigration to New Brunswick - Commissioner of Official Languages for New Brunswick urges the provincial and federal governments to protect the vitality of the Francophone community

Fredericton, April 3, 2014 – New Brunswick’s Official Languages Commissioner, Katherine d’Entremont, is urging the governments of New Brunswick and Canada to adopt a framework agreement on Francophone immigration in order to maintain the demographic weight of this province’s Francophone community.

Language commissioners meet in Barcelona for the inaugural conference of the International Association of Language Commissioners

Fredericton, March 31, 2014 – Language commissioners from around the world gathered on March 21, 2014, in Barcelona, Spain for the inaugural conference of the newly established International Association of Language Commissioners (IALC).

Official Languages Commissioner announces a contest for youth

Fredericton, February 19, 2014 – New Brunswick’s Official Languages Commissioner, Katherine d’Entremont, is inviting young New Brunswickers under the age of 19 to take part in a contest on the twotalk.ca website. Eligible participants will be entered into a draw for a chance to win one of five 16-GB Apple iPad Air tablets.