Fredericton, August 15, 2022 – The Commissioner of Official Languages for New Brunswick, Shirley MacLean, issued the following statement on the occasion of National Acadian Day:
“On this August 15, I invite New Brunswickers to celebrate. Let us celebrate by commemorating the history, appreciating the cultural richness, and recognizing the dynamism of New Brunswick’s Acadian community.
The battle to preserve the French language is an intrinsic part of New Brunswick’s Acadian history. Such is the fate of a language in a minority situation. On this August 15, I invite all New Brunswickers to continue to assert their language rights as set out in the Official Languages Act and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It is by taking these actions that we can move towards substantive linguistic equality.
New Brunswick is at the heart of the Acadian diaspora. National Acadian Day is an opportunity to share the inviting, warm, and welcoming culture of New Brunswick’s Acadia with everyone. But beyond a simple day, this culture must be celebrated every day. For it is by increasing mutual understanding between our two linguistic communities that we will learn to understand each other better. Happy August 15!”