Fredericton, July 24, 2013 – Statement by Katherine d’Entremont, as she assumes her new role as the Commissioner of Official Languages for New Brunswick:

It is with great enthusiasm that I undertake my duties this week as the Commissioner of Official Languages for New Brunswick.

I feel very honoured to have been chosen to succeed Michel Carrier. Indeed, I want to thank him for his work and dedication. To his credit, he has built an excellent reputation for the Commissioner’s office.

I had the good fortune to grow up in a bilingual and bicultural home – my mother was Anglophone, my father, Francophone. That enabled me to discover early on the vast cultural richness of our province. It is one of our most important resources for our future.

The Official Languages Act expresses our desire to live together, while ensuring the preservation of our two languages and the development of our two linguistic communities. This is a wonderful societal undertaking in which we can all participate.

As Commissioner, I must ensure that all public institutions are compliant with their linguistic obligations. I must also promote the advancement of our two official languages. This is a major responsibility that I will carry out with integrity and rigour.

Over the coming weeks, my staff and I will determine this office’s course in the light of the legacy of my predecessor and the recent changes to the Official Languages Act. These amendments look very promising for the future.

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The Commissioner’s biography can be viewed on the Office’s website.

Information:

Hugues Beaulieu

Director, Public Affairs and Research

506-444-4229 or 1-888-651-6444

Hugues.Beaulieu@gnb.ca