Months after making controversial online comments about New Brunswick’s school bussing and language duality policies, Fredericton’s mayor is wading back into the fray.
In February, Fredericton Mayor Brad Woodside tweeted language duality should be on the table as the province looks for ways to save money.
The next day Woodside tweeted the premier had informed him language duality was not on the table, “end of story.”
But last Friday Woodside took to Twitter again, saying he is convinced segregated school buses for francophone and anglophone students is “wrong” and “divisive.”
On Wednesday, after his tweet had garnered a strong and mixed reaction, Woodside said he’s happy to use his profile as mayor to start a dialogue.
“I'm doing it because I think it's a wrong that should be righted,” Woodside said.
“It doesn't favour any group. It favors both groups.”
School buses segregated by language has been a contentious issue in New Brunswick, with the provincial government arguing that the charter’s guarantee of a dual education system extends to the school bus system.
A judicial review, ordered by the province, is currently underway.
In the meantime, the provincial government has moved to stop the transportation of 92 francophone and anglophone speaking students who were travelling on the same bus.
Woodside’s comments come as language duality is about to be thrust back into the spotlight in Canada’s only bilingual province.
New Brunswick’s commissioner of official languages is expected to release her annual report Thursday.
Acknowledging the issue is an emotional one, Woodside said he’s not finished talking about it.
“If kids are good enough to play together, they're good enough to drive together to school on the same bus,” Woodside said.
“Just because there's a constitutional issue doesn't mean things can't be changed if you make the situation better,” he said.
The situation, though, is sensitive, says Brent Petersen.
He’s an anglophone, but his children attend a francophone school in Fredericton.
“Having four kids in the school system here I appreciate how much work and effort it is for the French community to maintain their culture and language in Fredericton,” Petersen said.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Nick Moore