Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

13 Comment(s)

I'm fascinated by the shifting opinions and arguments articulated by the Minister of Education and written by the editors of the Telegraph-Journal.

Enlarge Photo

Your initial argument, supporting the recommendation to eliminate early French immersion, involved dismantling a resource-draining EFI program in order to invest more money and resources into a floundering core French program.

In the weeks that followed, cancelling EFI has been lauded, claiming that this decision will eliminate childhood obesity (by putting much needed resources into physical education) boost numeracy (by increasing funding to music education). Now the latest argument blames EFI for social and economic inequity in the province, and argues that EFI segregates children who come from lower-income families in the core program.

Physical education and music need more funding, and the school system (and sadly, much of life in general) favours children who come from homes where parents have the time and resources to take an active role in their children's education. However, eliminating EFI cannot fix these problems. Children from low-income families need more than a token gesture to equal their chances at success, and this requires broad and significant public investment.

Eliminating EFI will result in lower achievement in French proficiency and eradicate a choice cherished by many parents and students in N.B. Unfortunately, our Liberal government says we can no longer afford this choice, and money must be spent in other ways.

Of course, this is the same Liberal government planning tax cuts for the citizens and corporations of N.B. It's a sad day indeed when a bilingual province reduces opportunities for French education, scapegoats a successful program, and offers a token tax cut to those who don't need it.

MARGARET ANNE SMITH

Saint John

Photo doesn't show devastation

A picture can be as interesting for what it doesn't show as for what it does. In your Saturday paper you had a photo of a developer/realtor standing proudly in front of some new uber-homes in Cedar Point. What the photo omits is the unbelievable devastation surrounding these behemoths. The river shore has been clear cut, blown up and flattened beyond recognition.

There are no cedars left in Cedar Point. That this has been allowed to happen is a travesty. I've heard the comments of people from away boating up the river and marvelling at the fact it was allowed to happen at all. Before it's all gone to greed and vanity, this city needs an inventory of green space - something tells me our children will thank us.

BRENT MASON

Saint John

Artists oppose EFI elimination

As visual artists, artisans, writers and actors from across New Brunswick, we join together to voice our concern about the government's decision to eliminate the early French immersion program, a decision that we feel poses a threat to our cultural identity.

We live in a unique place where bilingualism is an official policy. In the arts community, we value the diversity of our linguistic and cultural backgrounds. As artists we realize that languages are vital means of communication and self-expression that lead to creativity and understanding.

The government's decision will have a negative effect on bilingualism in New Brunswick, hindering future generations from fostering meaningful relationships within our society, in our province and around the world. It is our responsibility as artists to involve our communities in thoughtful and dynamic discussion. We believe New Brunswick is capable of excellence, and we are willing to engage in positive change.

GLENN ADAMS, ALEX FANCY, KERRI GEORGE, ANDREA MORTSON, Sackville

SUSANNE ALEXANDER, WERNER ARNOLD, ANNA CAMERON, WAYNE CURTIS, ALEXANDRYA EATON, BETHANY GIBSON, ROGER HARLEY, SUE JUDAH, DAVID MCKAY, DORIS NORMAN, NELA RIO, KATE ROGERS, Fredericton

LUC CHARETTE, ELAINE AMYOT, YVON GALLANT, NISK IMBEAULT, EDWARD LEMOND

Moncton

GREG COOK, DEBORAH PAYNE, CLYDE WRAY

Saint John

KATHY HOOPER, SUE HOOPER

Hampton

BETH POWNING, PETER

POWNING, Markhamville

EMILY FALVEY, STEFAN ST-LAURENT, TAM-CA VO-VAN

Ottawa

LIONEL CORMIER, NANCY KING SCHOFIELD

Grand-Barachois

DAWN SHEPPARD, BERTHOLET CHARRON, Rockport

JEANNE LEBLANC MULLIN

Shediac

FRANCIS COUTELLIER

Shediac Cape

ADELINE THOMAS

Shediac Bridge

STELLA DAIGLE

St-Thomas-de-Kent

MONIQUE DUCLOS

St-Isadore

SYLVIO DUGAS, Keswick

ELIZABETH GRANT, Berlin

DON HANNAH, Toronto

IAN LETOURNEAU

Athabasca

FREEMAN PATTERSON

Shamper's Bluff

HELEN STANLEY

Seeley's Cove

Harbour Station has to catch up

Mr. Caddell's remarks as reported in the Telegraph-Journal (July 21) are a bit insensitive. He was quoted as saying we could have had five Elton John concerts and there would still be disappointed people.

Perhaps Mr. Caddell has missed the point. People are not disappointed that the concert sold out, only that the online system that people were lead to believe as an alternative failed.

Consider that 90 per cent of the ticket sales in Moncton were online and at the same time, thousands were being denied access to the Harbour Station system. The year is 2008. People don't have to stand in line for hours, and yes, even days to purchase tickets to major events.

If Harbour Station wants to play in the big leagues, it has some catching up to do to regain the confidence of concert goers. That's the point, Mr. Caddell.

DOUGLAS CROUSE

Quispamsis

Control, clean up after your dogs

It completely disgusts me the way some dog walkers (owners) have no conscience when they are walking their dogs on public streets.

First they allow their dogs to defecate on the sidewalks and on the lawns of others and walk away leaving the mess for someone else to have to see and for the landowner to clean up. University Avenue is becoming a public toilet for some of these dogs with their walkers.

Please don't confuse the responsible dog walkers, these are the ones who clean up after their dogs and keep them under control when passing others. I have a hard time believing that the people that are not cleaning up after their dogs, are unaware that there is a stoop-and-scoop law. I think that they just don't care. They are an embarrassment to me, a fellow dog walker.

Second, people do not control their dogs when meeting and passing others. They allow them to walk at the end of long leads or not on leads at all. Many times I have had to cross the street to avoid these people.

Please dog walkers, clean up after your dogs and please learn how to control your animal for others who are using the public streets, or soon all dogs will not be allowed on public streets and I do not wish to pay for your antisocial behaviours. If you can't clean up after them or control them, you shouldn't have them.

SHERREE L. CHANDLER

Saint John

Plenty to see in New Brunswick

High gas prices! Fewer tourists! Doom and gloom! What an opportunity for our Department of Tourism. Let's fill the New Brunswick attractions with our citizens and their guests.

But make it worthwhile. Issue NB Tourism passes at all Service NB outlets. Presenting the pass gets half-price admission. Let accommodations join the project. New Brunswick has wonderful bed and breakfasts, country inns and hotels. A pass gets you 10 per cent off. Isn't a 90-per-cent room better than an empty room?

Have you visited Grand Manan or Miscou Island? Have you been to the Irving Nature Park in Saint John, Kingsbrae in St. Andrews, or the botanical gardens at Saint-Jacques? Have you gone fishing or whale watching? Have you climbed Mount Carleton, or Sugarloaf in Campbellton? Spend a day or two in Bathurst, Campbellton, Dieppe, Edmundston, Fredericton, Miramichi, Moncton, Saint John - each has lots to offer.

This could be your best summer ever. It's not too late - August and September are wonderful times to see our province. And while you're doing this, make a special effort to welcome all visitors to New Brunswick. We want them back.

WAYNE and BARB HARRIGAN

Riverview