New Brunswick Association of English-speaking Canadians
Encyclopedia
The New Brunswick Association of English-speaking Canadians was formed in 1984 at the instigation of Len Poore, to oppose the flying of the Acadian flag
on provincial government buildings on the occasion of the flag's 100th anniversary. The group focussed most of its attention thereafter on opposing the proposals of the province's Poirier-Bastarache Report, which called for a considerable expansion of bilingualism. At its peak, Poore claimed that the organization had 9,000 members.
Len Poore asserted that the Poirier-Bastarache Report had upset the province's linguistic harmony. He stated, "This province went on so well for so long before the provincial government decided to push ahead with more bilingualism."
The negative reaction among anglophones
to the Poirier-Bastarache Report, combined with a generally positive reception among the province's francophones, turned the recommendations into "such a hot potato that the government was not ready for it and, therefore, Conservative Premier Richard Hatfield
used [the establishment of a set of "Advisory Committee"] hearings as a stalling device."
The recommendation that seems to have caused the greatest amount of resistance among anglophones, and therefore to have played the critical role in the transformation of Poore’s organization from its original purpose to the bilingualism issue, was the proposal that the provincial public service be made more open to francophones, and therefore that the job opportunities of anglophones be correspondingly restricted.
In her study on New Brunswick public opinion regarding official bilingualism, Catherine Steele writes that the conditions that made possible the rapid rise of the New Brunswick Association of English-Speaking Canadians were established by the peculiar nature of negotiations between and among the province’s political parties. She explains that “both the Liberals and Conservatives in New Brunswick avoid[ed] debating the validity or merits of bilingualism due to the fear of political repercussions,” and notes that “this clash of opinions and attitudes is the product of a failure of the political elite to employ the conflict-resolving mechanisms of depoliticization, secrecy, proportionality and consensus, used to maintain good relations or “bonne entente” between francophones and Anglophones.”
There appears to have been a disjunction between the elite consensus not to discuss the bilingualism issue and the significant popular dissatisfaction with the either the status quo or the anticipated changes from the status quo which might take place in the future. She writes, “Consensus among New Brunswick’s political elites does exist in that both major parties, the Liberals and PC’s agree that bilingualism is important, the issue is an explosive one, and the political consequences too great for its merits to be politically debated. It is the risky nature of the subject that results in neither the Liberals nor the Conservatives knowing how to approach the subject or deal with the issue. Groups such as the New Brunswick Association of English-Speaking Canadians and le Parti Acadien
capitalize on this consensus and lack of linguistic policy initiative by opening up a new forum for debate."
This same disjunction between a large segment of popular opinion and the positions of the political parties is a likely explanation for the collapse of Richard Hatfield’s Progressive Conservatives in the 1987 provincial election
and the subsequent rise of the Confederation of Regions Party
to Official Opposition
status following the 1991 provincial election
The Association was disbanded in 1986, after the Advisory Committee had conducted hearings across the province to determine the public reaction to the Poirier-Bastarache Report.
Flag of Acadia
The flag of Acadia was adopted on August 15, 1884, at the Second Acadian National Convention held in Miscouche, Prince Edward Island, by nearly 5,000 Acadian delegates from across the Maritimes. It was designed by Father Marcel-Francois Richard, a priest from Saint-Louis-de-Kent, New Brunswick...
on provincial government buildings on the occasion of the flag's 100th anniversary. The group focussed most of its attention thereafter on opposing the proposals of the province's Poirier-Bastarache Report, which called for a considerable expansion of bilingualism. At its peak, Poore claimed that the organization had 9,000 members.
Len Poore asserted that the Poirier-Bastarache Report had upset the province's linguistic harmony. He stated, "This province went on so well for so long before the provincial government decided to push ahead with more bilingualism."
The negative reaction among anglophones
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
to the Poirier-Bastarache Report, combined with a generally positive reception among the province's francophones, turned the recommendations into "such a hot potato that the government was not ready for it and, therefore, Conservative Premier Richard Hatfield
Richard Hatfield
Richard Bennett Hatfield, PC, ONB was a New Brunswick politician and long time Premier of the province .- Early life :...
used [the establishment of a set of "Advisory Committee"] hearings as a stalling device."
The recommendation that seems to have caused the greatest amount of resistance among anglophones, and therefore to have played the critical role in the transformation of Poore’s organization from its original purpose to the bilingualism issue, was the proposal that the provincial public service be made more open to francophones, and therefore that the job opportunities of anglophones be correspondingly restricted.
In her study on New Brunswick public opinion regarding official bilingualism, Catherine Steele writes that the conditions that made possible the rapid rise of the New Brunswick Association of English-Speaking Canadians were established by the peculiar nature of negotiations between and among the province’s political parties. She explains that “both the Liberals and Conservatives in New Brunswick avoid[ed] debating the validity or merits of bilingualism due to the fear of political repercussions,” and notes that “this clash of opinions and attitudes is the product of a failure of the political elite to employ the conflict-resolving mechanisms of depoliticization, secrecy, proportionality and consensus, used to maintain good relations or “bonne entente” between francophones and Anglophones.”
There appears to have been a disjunction between the elite consensus not to discuss the bilingualism issue and the significant popular dissatisfaction with the either the status quo or the anticipated changes from the status quo which might take place in the future. She writes, “Consensus among New Brunswick’s political elites does exist in that both major parties, the Liberals and PC’s agree that bilingualism is important, the issue is an explosive one, and the political consequences too great for its merits to be politically debated. It is the risky nature of the subject that results in neither the Liberals nor the Conservatives knowing how to approach the subject or deal with the issue. Groups such as the New Brunswick Association of English-Speaking Canadians and le Parti Acadien
Parti acadien
The Parti Acadien was a political party in New Brunswick, Canada, in the 1970s and 1980s. The party was founded in 1972 by Acadians who were upset over poorer living conditions in predominantly francophone areas of the province versus those areas dominated by anglophones...
capitalize on this consensus and lack of linguistic policy initiative by opening up a new forum for debate."
This same disjunction between a large segment of popular opinion and the positions of the political parties is a likely explanation for the collapse of Richard Hatfield’s Progressive Conservatives in the 1987 provincial election
New Brunswick general election, 1987
The 31st New Brunswick general election was held on October 13, 1987, to elect 58 members to the 51st New Brunswick Legislative Assembly, the governing house of the province of New Brunswick, Canada...
and the subsequent rise of the Confederation of Regions Party
New Brunswick Confederation of Regions Party
The New Brunswick Confederation of Regions Party was a political party in the Province of New Brunswick, Canada.It was the only branch of the Confederation of Regions Party to win any seats...
to Official Opposition
Loyal opposition
In parliamentary systems of government, the term loyal opposition is applied to the opposition parties in the legislature to indicate that the non-governing parties may oppose the actions of the sitting cabinet typically comprising parliamentarians from the party with the most seats in the elected...
status following the 1991 provincial election
New Brunswick general election, 1991
The 32nd New Brunswick general election was held on September 23, 1991, to elect 58 members to the 52nd New Brunswick Legislative Assembly, the governing house of the province of New Brunswick, Canada....
The Association was disbanded in 1986, after the Advisory Committee had conducted hearings across the province to determine the public reaction to the Poirier-Bastarache Report.