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David Raymond Amos‏ @DavidRayAmos 




https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/shirley-maclean-new-brunswick-language-commissioner-1.5371960

First anglophone to be named languages commissioner hopes her example will inspire

Shirley MacLean is originally from Cape Breton but has lived here for more than 30 years

Elizabeth Fraser· CBC News· Posted: Nov 25, 2019 11:14 AM AT




Shirley MacLean, the deputy executive director of the New Brunswick Law Society, has been selected as the province's next commissioner of official languages. (Shane Magee/CBC)

Shirley MacLean has something to prove.

On Friday, she was named the province's commissioner of official languages and will be the first anglophone to hold the position since it was created in 2003.

"I'm very much hoping that my positive experience in learning a second language, certainly as an adult as well, will serve to promote the advancement of both official languages in New Brunswick," MacLean said Monday.

She said she knows the French language and has a good understanding of French culture, but she also knows she has to win the hearts of francophones.


"There's always work to be done."

Bringing 2 languages together

MacLean, who called herself a proponent of education about other cultures, said she hopes to give New Brunswickers a greater desire to learn the value of both official languages.

"I'm actually pretty proud to have been chosen," she told Information Morning Fredericton.

MacLean will come to the commissioner's job from the New Brunswick Law Society, where she has been deputy executive director. She will replace the acting languages commissioner, Michel Carrier.

She is originally from Baddeck, N.S., but has lived in New Brunswick for more than 30 years.

• High hopes new languages commissioner Shirley MacLean will help bridge linguistic divide

In her 20s, MacLean took immersion in Quebec where she became bilingual. Then she applied to law school at the University of New Brunswick. After getting her law degree, she decided to stay on and work in the province.

"New Brunswick was a bilingual province and the only way I was going to keep my second language, was if I stayed here and worked and lived and breathed both official languages."

What's the job?

The official languages commissioner is mandated to investigate complaints under the Official Languages Act, to report on and make recommendations on compliance with the act, and to promote the advancement of both official languages in the province.

• Language watchdog defends bilingualism against attack by People's Alliance

The commissioner reports to the legislature and makes an annual report.

In 2016, almost 34 per cent of New Brunswickers were bilingual, according to Statistics Canada.

More than 72 per cent of New Brunswickers whose mother tongue is French are bilingual, compared with 15.4 per cent of New Brunswickers whose first language is English.


The Higgs government has named Shirley MacLean, the current deputy executive director of the New Brunswick Law Society, as the province's next commissioner of official languages. 0:36

The former permanent commissioner, Katherine d'Entremont, retired in July 2018 after five years in the position.

MacLean will start the new job in January.




85 Comments





David Amos
Methinks Shirley MacLean, the deputy executive director of the New Brunswick Law Society should review my file before she takes her new position N'esy Pas?

















Tom Gordon
This province would be totally bilingual by now if the school system had merged into one back in 1970 and everyone had to learn how to speak both official languages. All the government has done for the past 50+ years is create a bigger gap and more segregation than ever.


Al Clark 





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From: david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 22 Nov 2019 13:05:43 -0400
Subject: Methinks Catherine Tait and her nasty minions in CBC just crossed the line bigtime
N'esy Pas?
To: kevin.a.arseneau@gnb.ca, Catherine.Tait@cbc.ca, sylvie.gadoury@radio-canada.ca, darrow.macintyre@cbc.ca, cps@calgarypolice.ca, grcanning@gmail.com,
Dale.Morgan@rcmp-grc.gc.ca, premier@ontario.ca,  Newsroom@globeandmail.com,

Shirley MacLean tapped as province's next official languages commissioner

Current deputy executive director of the New Brunswick Law Society will start new role in July

Shirley MacLean, the deputy executive director of the New Brunswick Law Society, has been selected as the province's next commissioner of official languages. (Shane Magee/CBC)

The Higgs government has named Shirley MacLean, the current deputy executive director of the New Brunswick Law Society, as the province's next commissioner of official languages.

MacLean will replace acting commissioner Michel Carrier, whose term ends on July 23.

A selection committee recommended MacLean's candidacy to the Legislative Assembly, which accepted her, for a seven-year term.

MacLean is English-speaking but is fluent in French and "has always had an acute sensitivity to the reality of the francophone community," said Christian Michaud, the outgoing president of the New Brunswick bar.

Michaud, who has known MacLean for 25 years, said he has a great deal of respect for her and believes she will "succeed in bridging the gap between the two linguistic communities."

In addition to being deputy executive director of the law society, MacLean is also the registrar of complaints, which makes her well-equipped for the role of commissioner of official languages,
according to Michaud.

"Shirley has always been able to hold her own. She has always been able to work in the public interest," he said.

With files from Radio-Canada

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