N.B. MLAs wrapping up public consultations on official languages review

A committee of New Brunswick MLAs considering changes to the province’s Official Languages Act will wrap up their consultation tour on Friday.

Liberal MLA Benoît Bourque says it’s too early to give an idea of what the legislature’s Standing Committee on Official Languages will propose, based on feedback it’s heard from organizations and the public since last month.

“There will be, I would argue, some very interesting, solid, and pertinent recommendations that will come out of the report,” says Bourque, who chairs the committee. “We’re very satisfied with the level, the quality and quantity of presenters we had in front of us.”

The MLAs will end their tour in Woodstock on Friday at 9 a.m. inside the AYR Motor Centre.

In addition to Woodstock, the committee will have stopped this month in: Grand Falls, Campbellton, Petit-Rocher, Caraquet, Rogersville, Moncton, Saint John and Fredericton.

The committee also met at four meetings inside the legislature last month, which featured presentations from invited organizations. It’s the first time a review of the act has included public consultations in multiple communities led by MLAs.

Bourque says the committee will spend the rest of this summer drafting recommendations from its review, which is due before the end of this year.

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