Matthew’s Unbelieveable Experience at the N.B. Senior Federation

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As published in the Daily Gleaner, Telegraph Journal, The River Valley News and CARP New Brunswick

70 Hill Street
Minto N.B.
E3B 3N3
(506)327-6723

Dear Editor,

While attending the N.B. Senior Federation’s 38th anniversary meetings in Fredericton as a voting delegate it was interesting to learn that ninety five percent of the four day sessions would be conducted in the minority French language.

The chairman immediately announced that his first language was French and would be conducting most of the meetings in French with simultaneous translation provided for us English speaking delegates. Our ID cards and welcome banners, as well as signage in and around the convention area displayed the French language first, with the exception of one that was English first, but not for long. When I noticed it had been changed I personally changed it back to properly represent the demographics of this province.

Early on I was asked to assist with selling 50-50 tickets but later realized that it was to keep me out of the mainstream of the ongoing business since I am constantly vigilant and outspoken when the English language gets relegated to second place. At the last meeting on Thursday Oct. 5th I took the opportunity to express my concerns on this issue to the delegates and guests, for which I was loudly booed. The chairman made no attempt to bring order to the meeting and only one delegate of the nearly three hundred in attendance had the courage to come to my defense.

From all indications it would appear that our seniors federation has been hijacked by the minority.

Since English is by far the majority in this province we should seriously consider forming our own English seniors federation which would solve the problem..

We English speaking members thank the Telegraph Journal for using the English language when printing the insert promoting the Federation’s 38th anniversary that appeared in their newspaper on Oct.3.

More New Brunswickers should heed the the words of a wise man who stated,

“Be isolated, Be ignored, Be attacked, Be in doubt, Be frightened, but do not be silenced”
Bertrand Russell

Sincerely,

Matthew Glenn
President Anglo Society of N.B.

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