The provincial government being called on to review the Official Languages Act in light of a complaint being filed against a commissionaire in Fredericton who can’t speak french. It was who filed the complaint and its aftermath that has stirred up a hornet’s nest.
The commissionaire, Wayne Grant was filling in at a provincial government official building at the request of his supervisor.
The leader of the People’s Alliance Party, Kris Austin says, according to the sign in sheet, it was the Official Languages Commissioner Katherine d’Entremont who filed the complaint after Grant told her he could only converse with her in english which they did.
Austin says there was a bilingual commissionaire in the building at the time who could have been called upon to help.
Grant, who’s nearing retirement, was later temporarily laid off, had his hours reduced and was relocated to the parking lot outside. Austin calls it a witch hunt.
We sent an email to d’Entremont’s office seeking comment and have been told a response will be forthcoming.
