FREDERICTON (June 22, 2026) – Following two troubling investigations, the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages for New Brunswick is raising concerns regarding the extent of Official Languages Act violations at Horizon Health Network’s Miramichi Regional Hospital.
“I was shocked to learn, through a complaint, that a unilingual Francophone member of the public was informed of his father’s death over the phone in English only. Given the grave nature of the information being shared, the lack of respect and consideration shown are incomprehensible. The person was left in doubt regarding his father’s condition because his language rights were not respected,” said Shirley MacLean, Commissioner of Official Languages for New Brunswick.
The second complaint, received the same day, concerned another patient at Miramichi Hospital who was not served at all in French during the first seven days of a nine-day hospital stay. He became so frustrated that he asked to be discharged so he could go home.
Among other problems, the two cases highlight a climate of Anglonormativity, the assumption or expectation that everyone is, or should be, proficient in English. This encourages the perception that the French language has no value or importance. In the first case, the supervisor who phoned the deceased patient’s son assumed the man understood what she was telling him despite the fact that he does not speak or understand English. In the second, the patient left the hospital feeling that the healthcare staff were only there to serve Anglophones.
“The circumstances surrounding these complaints are not only sad, they also show a lack of respect for the language rights of the individuals concerned that can only be described as heartless,” said Commissioner MacLean. “I was, quite frankly, taken aback by some of the institution’s responses during the course of these investigations. The institution is well aware of its linguistic obligations and the ongoing problems at the hospital in question, but there seems to be a glaring lack of accountability on the part of certain employees, including managers.”
The Office of the Commissioner has noted a steady increase in complaints against Miramichi Regional Hospital over the past five years despite the Commissioner’s numerous recommendations.
“Regular audits and corrective measures to address non-compliance are essential. It is management’s responsibility to lead by example, get actively involved and get employees on board to ensure a policy is being followed,” said Commissioner MacLean. “After all, if a manager doesn’t believe in the policy, they’re bound to have a hard time convincing their staff not just to respect it but to put it into practice.”
The investigation reports: