Canadian Parents for French have been working hard on this issue. I entirely agree with Lisa that the system needs some attention.

The unfortunate thing is that we have been working with only 1 FSL expert at the Department level for a number of years so it is no wonder that Core has fallen by the wayside and that problems with lack of methods and resource for French Immersion kids was allowed to go on for so long without being remedied.

All of these things need attention, that is true. But the government was aware of these problems and had access to solutions brought forward in the Rehorick report, among others. The answers are there.

What is happening now, based on our observations, is something entirely different than a legitimate examination of ways to improve the French Second Language system in New Brunswick. Instead, in my opinion, which is based on a close examaniation and a deep understanding of the process, it is a process that is set up to make the case for the elimination of early immersion.

The minister has deliberately marginalized our group and parents in general because we are saying something very simple. "Don't take away a program that works in order to improve the program that doesn't work."

Of late, he has been trying to say we don't care about this large group who are poorly served by the core program. We are not saying this. In fact, we have been a voice in the wilderness for years calling for a drastic overhaul of the core program.

I am pleased to see parents taking a keen interest in this discussion and was glad to come across this site. There is no way that a small volunteer group like ours will be able to stop this runaway train that Minister Lamrock seems intent on crashing into our provinces' delicate and beautiful bilingual society, but parents working together can help the premier aim the train somewhere else - preferably away from education and away from our kids.

I recommend that anyone interested in this topic have a look at our website at www.cpfnb.com to see how they can get their voice heard by the premier.