Official Languages committee  Yes.

Official Languages committee  In the beginning, in 2012, we came to the same conclusions as the ones in the commissioner's report and we expressed our concerns to the folks from the association. At that time, they said that time was needed, that the NCSBN would provide francophone resources, and that there was nothing to worry about.

Official Languages committee  No, not at all.

Official Languages committee  As I mentioned earlier, the executive director of the NANB publicly said before this committee that she would consider another option. Since then, a national advisory committee has been created and she is a member, along with other anglophones and francophones. We are currently working on a project to create a so-called final exam.

Official Languages committee  Let me quickly finish my answer. We want the association to have the authority to determine that this final exam will become for us, in New Brunswick, especially for francophones, the entry-to-practice exam. We will then live with its decisions.

Official Languages committee  No. The provincial association must make this decision of its own accord.

Official Languages committee  The New Brunswick Nurses Act gives the association authority in all matters relating to the regulation of the profession and all conditions to protect the public. The Premier does not have that power. To get it, he would have to change the Nurses Act. That's what I've been told.

Official Languages committee  This action was taken by students who tried the exam several times, including one student who tried it nine times. I have statistics. These are mostly people from Mrs. Landry's area. Several students attempted the exam up to seven times without passing. Students from her part of the country came together to say that was enough.

Official Languages committee  As you know, the New Brunswick Commissioner of Official Languages has just ruled that the Nurses Association of New Brunswick has violated the provincial Official Languages Act. I will quote from the report: … There is indeed a significant gap in the exam preparation resources available to one linguistic community compared to the other.

Official Languages committee  The circumstances of entry-to-practice, including the nursing practice entrance examination, are under provincial jurisdiction only. All provinces must establish these criteria.