Austin says Trudeau’s comments on language committee appointment 'shouldn’t even be on his radar'

Kris Austin says comments from the Prime Minister about his appointment to a committee reviewing New Brunswick’s Official Languages Act is “smoke and mirrors.”

Austin responded Wednesday to comments made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau the day before in Oromocto, N.B. Trudeau said Premier Blaine Higgs’ decision to appoint Austin to the government committee “doesn’t make sense.”

"You don't put someone who has spent his entire career attacking official bilingualism and questioning the need to protect French in New Brunswick, or elsewhere, on a panel designed to protect bilingualism in New Brunswick,” said Trudeau on Tuesday.

Austin called Trudeau’s comments an attempt to deflect from other issues facing the federal government.

“There’s lots of things to be concerned about if you’re the prime minister in this country,” said Austin. “What committee Kris Austin sits on should be so far down the list it shouldn’t even be on his radar.”

Austin said the committee, made up of 10 Progressive Conservative MLAs, had met twice so far. Austin wouldn’t give specific details about what topics had been discussed by the committee, nor what his input had been.

“I’ve always said I support the rights of both Francophone and Anglophones to receive service in their language of choice,” said Austin. “I want to see it implemented in a fair and equitable manner so that every New Brunswicker can prosper and nobody is left out of the process. I don’t think that’s a radical point of view. I think that’s a point of view most New Brunswickers share and that’s one I’ll continue to hold to.”

As former leader of the People’s Alliance, Austin campaigned to end bilingual requirements for government jobs, and called for the position of Official Languages Commissioner to be abolished.

In 2019, Austin threatened to topple the then PC minority government if recommendations from the Commissioner’s report were followed.

Earlier this year, as a Progressive Conservative MLA, Austin questioned the need for two health authorities — Vitalité and Horizon — which are mandated to operate in the province’s two official languages, but unofficially function in their respective region’s predominant language. The suggestion was quickly dismissed by Higgs.

In October, Austin was named Minister of Public Safety in Higgs’ cabinet.

“I bring a point of view to the table that I think needs to be heard and I’ll continue to do that when I’m asked,” said Austin.

Fredericton Liberal MP Jenica Atwin sent a letter to Premier Higgs on Tuesday, asking for Austin to be removed from the committee.

“Of course, people’s opinions can evolve over time,” said Atwin, in an interview Wednesday. “But both Mr. Austin and Mr. Higgs have been very clear in the past about where they stand and I would argue it’s quite a bias against bilingualism.”

Higgs is a former 1989 leadership candidate for the now-defunct Confederation of Regions Party, which opposed official bilingualism in New Brunswick.

Trudeau later made his comments about Austin to Higgs directly in a one-on-one meeting. Higgs defended his decision to appoint Austin to the committee in a news conference late Tuesday afternoon.

"I'm not the least bit concerned about where his views are and where he's focused at this time,” said Higgs.

Don Wright, a political scientist at the University of New Brunswick, said minority language rights are in the federal purview as a Charter issue.

“But this is a review of New Brunswick’s Official Language policy. I was surprised the prime minister felt so free to weigh in and so comfortable to weigh in, when he has been silent on egregious abuses in Quebec,” said Wright. “Of course, because he doesn’t want to alienate Quebec voters.”