The Letter For New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt that She Ignored (November 2025)

In the most recent census, in 2021, over 90% of Edmundston, New Brunswick's population was Francophone. However, in the city's only Anglophone school (St-Mary's Academy, K-12), students do not have access to French immersion. That causes Anglophone (English) students to be at a local social disadvantage compared to the Francophone (French) students. The New Brunswick Government brags about how bilingual the province is but it's not giving that opportunity to every child. Last month, I wrote and sent a letter to Susan Holt, New Brunswick's Premier, about it. I have not yet received a reply from her. Here's the letter I sent to her... and to select members of media who should be shining a light on this issue for the public: Bernard C. Cormier PO Box 12 Edmundston, NB E3V 3K7 September 25, 2025 The Honourable Susan Holt Premier of New Brunswick c/o Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick 706 Queen Street Fredericton, NB E3B 1C5 Dear Premier Holt: There has been an issue with my children’s education that I did not expect to encounter before they became students. As the Premier of New Brunswick, you can solve the problem with the issue. That’s why I wrote this letter to you. First some of my background to explain the angle I’m coming from. I’m an Acadian man who was born and raised in and around Moncton. I studied in the French school system during the 1980s and 1990s. I began learning English in a classroom setting when I was in Grade 3 at Legerville School in Saint-Paul (20 +/- minutes from Moncton) during the 1985-86 school year. Later, my family moved into Moncton and eventually I graduated from Mathieu-Martin High School in Dieppe. Living in the Moncton area, all of the other Acadians I knew only spoke French at school and maybe with their family members. That’s it. We used English everywhere else because it was part of our local culture: English was the language to use. It was like “linguistic currency”. Now, here’s the main purpose of this letter and how it relates to what I have shared with you about my background. My life eventually brought me to the Edmundston area where I’m raising a family with my partner. Perhaps I was just naïve to think that all Acadians in New Brunswick had a similar attitude towards language as the one I had as a Monctonian but Edmundston’s been a complete “linguistic culture shock”. Social interactions are a complete flop-flop compared to Moncton: the “linguistic currency” of Edmundston’s French, not English. As an example: there’s a good chance that when buying something in a store, the person behind the counter will either not understand English or have such a poor understanding of it that it’s just easier to flip languages into French to get the interaction over with. In Edmundston, Anglophones are in the minority, not Francophones. According to the Canada’s most recent census in 2021, over 90% of Edmundston’s population is francophone. The city only has one Anglophone school, St-Mary’s Academy (K-12). Since we are in New Brunswick, I expected St-Mary’s Academy to offer French immersion to allow for its students to socially integrate within their community and be able to understand and, in return, be understood by Francophone children, especially after the 2021 census data. No, that’s not the case. Not only does it not offer French immersion but one of my children has started Grade 3 and, unlike me in 1985 when I learned English in St-Paul, he will not at all be learning French. When considering how “French” Edmundston is, the lack of French education for Anglophone children places them at an unfair disadvantage for social and employment (as teenagers) opportunities compared to students in other cities. A few years ago, parents in Moncton, Fredericton and Saint-John were complaining that French immersion cuts were going to be made. Well, at least they have French immersion! A person can live their whole life in Moncton and never need to use French. Their children can even study in French immersion. No such scenario could ever happen in Edmundston. The Anglophone West School district should look at where St-Mary’s Academy in Edmundston is located and offer French Immersion to all students whose parents want it for them. I’ve heard the argument that perhaps there’s not a high enough amount of parents interested in French immersion at St-Mary’s Academy. The lack of interest may be plausible when considering how many Edmundston children likely already know French from their home life but what about the other children? Despite the stereotypes of Acadians, many of us, like me, prefer speaking in English at home so my children would not be able to learn it properly from me. Regardless of my own teaching abilities, I’m not a teacher and that responsibility should be with the school. Even without immersion, all students at that school should learn French starting in Grade 3, as when I began to learn English as a second language in that grade in 1985. Nobody asked my parents: the school just made it mandatory. Premier, will you give French language education to the Anglophone students of Edmundston so that they have an equal footing compared to French students? I would seriously like to receive an answer from you to my question. A face-to-face meeting to discuss this in Edmundston would be great, too. I’ve sent this letter to you because I strongly believe that the problem at St-Mary’s Academy must be fixed if you believe in bilingualism for all New Brunswick children. To demonstrate how serious I am about this subject, I’ve sent copies of this letter to the leaders of the other political parties with current MLAs and to select members of media in hoping that they shine light on the problem to influence change. Maybe none of those reporters will ask you anything about it but at least I tried to prompt positive action by putting this issue about language and education right in front of them. I hope to hear from you directly about these issues. Sincerely, Bernard C. Cormier

The Intended CFAI-FM Bio (for October 2025)

Earlier this year, CFAI-FM posted short bios for on-air personalities on their Facebook page. I sent mine to them last month. (in October 2025) Since I don't want it wasted, here it is in its un-translated glory: "Bernard C. Cormier has been involved with various forms of media and arm-length related fields in different capacities for over 30 years. His CFAI radio program, “Bernard Brule Les Ondes, Vol. 2!”, began in 2013. Prior to CFAI, he did radio on CJSE (Shediac, 1995), CKUM (Moncton, 2000-2011), and CJCJ (Woodstock, 2000) and CIKX (Grand Falls, 2000). He contributed recorded opinion pieces for CBC Radio’s “Information Morning” in Moncton during the late-2000s. He was involved with community television in New Brunswick from 1992 to 2007. He wrote articles and book reviews for various Canadian and American print publications from 2005-2013. He also served on the juries of the Music NB Awards, the Joe Shuster awards and FACTOR. He interviewed numerous artists such as: Alan Moore (Watchmen), Dave Gibbons (Watchmen), Harvey Pekar (American Splendor), Jamie Hernandez (“Love and Rockets” comics), Michael E. Uslan [producer: Batman (1989)], Robert Maillet (WWE, actor), members of music groups (Sloan, Simple Plan, and Hole), etc. “Bernard Brule Les Ondes, Vol. 2!” is broadcast Friday nights at 12 midnight on CFAI. Contact him: Bernard C. Cormier PO Box 12 Edmundston, NB E3V 3K7 Youtube.com/bernardccormier https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063011931247 Bernardccormier@gmail.com " Bernard C. Cormier "Bernard Brule Les Ondes, Vol. 2!" > 12 midnight - 4AM, Friday nights / Saturday mor