NB French concerns

New Brunswick’s official languages commissioner Katherine d’Entremont is repeating her call for all newly-appointed senior managers in the provincial civil service to speak English and French.

But, the New Brunswick Liberal government has refused, claiming it’s unnecessary because there are enough supports in place to make sure people receive bilingual services.

Donald Arseneault, the cabinet minister responsible for official languages; rejected d’Entremont’s arguments, due to budgetary concerns.

NB doc deal

New Brunswick and the New Brunswick Medical Society have cut a deal that they say will improve care for patients seeing a family doctor.

The 4-year deal provides fee-for-service and salary increases of one per cent annually.

It also establishes Family Medicine New Brunswick, a plan to encourage family doctors to offer their patients more same-day service, along with evening and weekend hours.