Canadian Parents for French New Brunswick has chosen a new name that more accurately represents its responsibilities to New Brunswick and is more inclusive to our clients, parents and students. Effective immediately, we will be known as Parents for Bilingual Education New Brunswick (PBENB). PBENB has also adopted a new logo using the colours of New Brunswick’s flag and featuring at its centre a beaconing lighthouse.

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“The cultural mosaic of Canada has changed and new Canadians from many countries make up an important part of the community we serve in NB and we wanted to ensure that they were represented in our name”, stated Chris Collins, Executive Director of PBENB. He continued, “The core mission of our organization continues to be the development, promotion and protection of French Second Language training for Anglophone students.”

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PBENB will be a significantly more agile, independent New Brunswick focused organization. “We are now able to respond to the unique needs of our clients and partners in New Brunswick,  to find “made in New Brunswick” learning solutions for our unique officially bilingual province, and to keep our ears to the ground in NB politically,” said Jane Keith, PBENB’s Board President.

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As a result of PBENB being independent, it will now be staying in Moncton and not moved to Halifax. PBENB will continue to run French language camps at Snider Mountain Ranch, offer free virtual tutoring and French games nights, new field trip opportunities, and other programs to aid in FSL learning across New Brunswick. PBENB will continue to be the funding partner of Canadian Heritage in the province of New Brunswick. We will continue to partner with the New Brunswick Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages, and the Secretariat of Official Languages, as well as SANB, ACPI, French for the Future and other organizations active in New Brunswick.

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PBENB is excited to expand the focus of its programming and advocacy to include rapprochement. Working with our NB partners, we will develop programs that allow students of both language groups the opportunity to interact and gain a greater understanding of New Brunswick’s unique culture and opportunities.

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