N.B. education minister apologizes to student he called a 'prop' for speaking out about her education

New Brunswick's education minister has apologized to the family of an 11-year-old student that he referred to as a political "prop" during legislature in December 2022.

Bill Hogan came under fire in the fall session after saying the middle school student was being used as a prop in the ongoing fight over the future of French immersion in New Brunswick.

“I was very disappointed by the stunt that the executive director of Canadian Parents for French did last week here in the gallery -- using a student as a prop,” Hogan said, during the session on Dec. 14, 2022.

Hogan's reference came a week after a mother and her child, Grade 7 student Natasha Robichaud, who attends one of the schools hosting a new French language pilot program, spoke to reporters in the legislature about how she was not receiving the same quality of French instruction as she was in French immersion.

Her mother, Christina Robichaud, says they have received an apology from the minister.

"He did apologize that he did not intend them as it came out and did not mean to offend us as a family," said Christina Robichaud.

"He really just considered the fact that this was something to be attention seeking, whereas I explained to him my children were there because they're very active and passionate about their education and we were there to put faces to the situation."

New Brunswick's education department will begin community consultations on the future French program throughout the province next week.