David Raymond Amos @DavidRayAmos
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/ambulance-lack-bilingual-staff-anb-1.5006740
No ambulance taken out of service over lack of bilingual staff, ANB says
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Commenting is now closed for this story.
David Amos
Methinks I should ask why nobody showed up at the EUB hearing today N'esy Pas?
Marc Martin
@David Amos
You badgered us all week you where going, we placed all our fates in you....
You badgered us all week you where going, we placed all our fates in you....
Johnny Horton
Isn’t the VP just playing with words? I see a great future as a politician in his future,
They have their in filled bilingual positions. Therefore there are positions due to language that are not available to be called due to the position being vacant because it is bilingual and there are not enough bilingual Emt in Canada,
So it is due to language - just maybe not the spin on language some want to make it to be,
They have their in filled bilingual positions. Therefore there are positions due to language that are not available to be called due to the position being vacant because it is bilingual and there are not enough bilingual Emt in Canada,
So it is due to language - just maybe not the spin on language some want to make it to be,
Marguerite Deschamps
@Johnny Horton, you CORs would not recognize the truth if it stared you right in the face.
Barry Odonnell
@Marguerite Deschamps Where is Galllant these days?
Marguerite Deschamps
@Barry Odonnell, Higgs will be gone and elusive within a few months.
Billy Hachey,
@Barry Odonnell Teaching Marg
tennis of course! notice she ignores your question completely and
deflects to someone else, typical grade 4 debating antics
Marguerite Deschamps
@Billy Hachey, Brian has many university degrees including a Masters in Law at McGill. How about you?
Johnny Horton
@Marguerite Deschamps
If you actually read whst I was saying I said it wasn’t due to the latest interpretation/definition of language issues in NB. But s mire borader basic language issue thst everywhere in the world has. Not enough people speaking enough languages to fulfill needed positions.
If you actually read whst I was saying I said it wasn’t due to the latest interpretation/definition of language issues in NB. But s mire borader basic language issue thst everywhere in the world has. Not enough people speaking enough languages to fulfill needed positions.
Matt Steele
It sounds like Matt Crossman
is making a play on the interpretation of words . I wonder what the term
" out of service " actually means to Mr. Crossman , and what that
actually consists of . Could an Ambulance be sitting at a ANB depot
without having any staff to operate it ; and still be considered " in
service " ? Words seems to have a different meaning for different
people depending on their interpretation of said words for that given
situation . What a web we weave when we practice to deceive.....also
known as SPIN .
Charlie Papa
@Matt Steele the scenario that you described would be considered “out of service”.
Johnny Horton
@Charlie Papa
Yes. According to Crossmzn though that’s out of service due to lack of staff, not due to language.
Yes. According to Crossmzn though that’s out of service due to lack of staff, not due to language.
Marguerite Deschamps
@Matt Steele, "SPIN" like we always read here about you and your cohorts.
Charlie Papa
@Johnny Horton Ok so what are
you getting at. You seem to be an intelligent person. List off all
the reasons that a staff member may not show up for work in any industry
and apply it to what you are trying to say. If you are implying that
said truck that you are using as an example is parked becasue there were
no bilingual medics to work you are not correct in your assumptions.
It would be staffed regardless of language.
David Amos
@Marguerite Deschamps "SPIN" like we always read here about you and your cohorts."
What is it that you do?
What is it that you do?
David Webb
From ANB's 2017/2018 annual report it states, "As a result, we are pleased to report that 33.11% of all
ANB paramedics have been qualified as bilingual by the Province of New Brunswick (PNB) through service New Brunswick". To me that either means ambulances are parked or 33% are running with English only EMT's. Add to that that a temporary floater complement of English EMT's has been given a green light and the fact that ANB refuses to divulge their service performance in spite of request for information, says something here doesn't smell right. Dig a little deeper Jacques!
ANB paramedics have been qualified as bilingual by the Province of New Brunswick (PNB) through service New Brunswick". To me that either means ambulances are parked or 33% are running with English only EMT's. Add to that that a temporary floater complement of English EMT's has been given a green light and the fact that ANB refuses to divulge their service performance in spite of request for information, says something here doesn't smell right. Dig a little deeper Jacques!
Content disabled. before I could see or save it
Marguerite Deschamps
Tim Raworth
@David Webb Jacques will not dig any deeper. He is completly bias.
Barry Odonnell
@Marguerite Deschamps Ohh puhhhhleaaseeeee
David Amos
@Barry Odonnell LOL
.. Fred Brewer
""We would never take an
ambulance out of service for language," he told the legislature's Crown
corporations committee. "In fact, we exhaust every call-out list across
the province to fill a shift."
This is an example of wordplay and smoke and mirrors.
The call-out lists do not contain enough names because of language requirements and therefore ambulances sit idle due to language.
This is an example of wordplay and smoke and mirrors.
The call-out lists do not contain enough names because of language requirements and therefore ambulances sit idle due to language.
Chuck Michaels
@Fred Brewer - I asked a
medic friend about this. The callout lists contain the names of ALL
MEDICS willing to do overtime. The fact is, many mark themselves
"unavailable". They are tired. They are frustrated at being classed
as "patient" support - rather than "patient care". Many are unwilling
to drive excessive distances to work an overtime where fuel costs make
an extra shift uneconomical. She related that there are parts of the
province where positions go unfilled - nobody applies. There are
equally big problems that need to be addressed - before we lose medics
to other jobs or provinces!
Marc Martin
@Fred Brewer
They just confirmed ambulance do no sit because of language, what more do you want them to say?
They just confirmed ambulance do no sit because of language, what more do you want them to say?
Fred Brewer
@Marc Martin
I just want the unblemished truth that's all.
I just want the unblemished truth that's all.
Mark (Junkman) George
@Marc Martin
The truth for once?
It's not like we are used to politicians lying to us? Are you saying/thinking that a politician deserves/is going to get, or is owed: the truth.
The truth for once?
It's not like we are used to politicians lying to us? Are you saying/thinking that a politician deserves/is going to get, or is owed: the truth.
Marguerite Deschamps
@Fred Brewer, nope, nobody died because of language.
Fred Brewer
@Marguerite Deschamps
You can bury your head in the sand all you want Marg, but that does not change the fact that Language comes before Lives in NB.
You can bury your head in the sand all you want Marg, but that does not change the fact that Language comes before Lives in NB.
daryl doucette
@Fred Brewer exactly!
Denis Doiron
@Fred Brewer Fred ! I am a
paramedic and have been for 29 years ! First of all i can assure you no
ambulance has gone instaffed because of language. The media blew this
language thing out of proportion yes there is lbilingual positions
available it is sad there is some medics that are having a hard time
getting fuill time jobs when these medic are hired they aware of the
of theae language laws . Now. Example here how it works let say about
800 posistions 400 are unilingual and 400 are bilingual positions wich
is fair so how it stands 400 unilingual position are filled and the
other 400 bilingual position only 250 are filled can find enough so the
remaining positions are given to the unilingual full time on a 6 months
basis until they can find bilingual to fill the position if they do
unfortunaltly the unilingiual medic goes back partime of not he keeps
it for another 6 months . That is the way it works . For ambulance not
being staff is like ANB said there is alot of medics out on medical
leave the rest is overworked alrweady and can only do so much
overtime and we are juste short in general so there is lot of ambulance
that do not get staff for this reason and keep in mind also some of
these bilingual position are also up North of the province some
unilingual or bilingual do not want to relocate up the north to take
these positions idont blame them so they remain open and assure you
when there is a shift open due to sick calls or other everybody is
called for the open shift no matter what language you speak .
Marc Martin
@Mark (Junkman) George
Its not a politician that is affirming this, you need to read the article.
Its not a politician that is affirming this, you need to read the article.
Marc Martin
@Fred Brewer
But yet you failed to show us 1 death related to language...
But yet you failed to show us 1 death related to language...
David Amos
@Marc Martin Not true
Marc Martin
@David Amos Are you sure your talking to the right Marc Martin Davis ?
David Amos
@Marc Martin Who is Davis?
Tim Raworth
The simple fact is unilingual
people who are considering a career will not go into paramedic
training, at least not with intensions to stay in NB. They were only
being hired under a term contract knowing that they could be replaced.
Who in their right mind would try to build a future on that basis. Yes
language is part of the problem! It figured Jacque would be all over
this story with his completely unbias opinion. LOL
Marc Martin
@Tim Raworth
Oh so now its because they don't hire enough unilingual English its not because of live before language anymore ??
Oh so now its because they don't hire enough unilingual English its not because of live before language anymore ??
Marguerite Deschamps
@Marc Martin, he would have preferred that lives were lost so he could back up his fake news argument.
Tim Raworth
@Marguerite Deschamps You are a fool for saying such a thing God forgive you.
Marguerite Deschamps
@Tim Raworth, which one, Zeus, Jupiter, Saturn, Jehovah?
@Marc Martin My comment was clear and concise. Perhaps you should read it again.
Marguerite Deschamps
@Tim Raworth, all they need
to do is become bilingual. In this day and age, all the tools are there
for free to learn any language. One need not even go to school.
Denis Doiron
@Tim Raworth Nobody is
hired under term contract. When you are hired you are hired as casual .
And then you can apply for positions partime or fullltime every 60 days
but of course most of the position that are left are bilinguals
position so these are given out to the unilinguals 6 months at a time
and if. Not filled. There given back to them for another 6 month
Marc Martin
@Tim Raworth
Actually its not, even when shown the facts you make it a language issue.
Actually its not, even when shown the facts you make it a language issue.
David Amos
@Marc Martin "Actually its not, even when shown the facts you make it a language issue."
Methinks everybody knows that is your forte N'esy Pas?
Methinks everybody knows that is your forte N'esy Pas?
Marc Martin
@David Amos
Methinks everybody knows that you have a lot of friends at the Anglo Society N'esy Pas?
Methinks everybody knows that you have a lot of friends at the Anglo Society N'esy Pas?
Marc Martin
There ya go truth comes out...
Dan Lee
@Marc Martin
As I would say to most posters here,........YOU CANT HANDLE THE TRUTH............
As I would say to most posters here,........YOU CANT HANDLE THE TRUTH............
Tim Raworth
@Marc Martin One sided truth.
Dan Lee
@Tim Raworth
roflmao............man that was funny
roflmao............man that was funny
Fred Brewer
@Marc Martin
One man's truth is another man's BS.
One man's truth is another man's BS.
Denis Doiron
@Marc Martin its true there
is not enough bilingual medics but ANB is telling the truth about
Ambulances they do not go off the road because of language there is
lots of medic out on disabilty and sick calls and that opens lots of
positions medic are over worked as it is and can only. Work so many
hours. Can assure. You everybody avalaible is called to cover these
shift but refuses they are already overwelmed and burned out by
working overtime ! In General there is big shortage of medics just like
Nurses«
Marc Martin
@Tim Raworth
Its only one sided when they don't say what you want...
Its only one sided when they don't say what you want...
Marc Martin
@Denis Doiron
I am not arguing that...you need to calm down...But it isn't because of language.
I am not arguing that...you need to calm down...But it isn't because of language.
David Amos
@Marc Martin "There ya go truth comes out..."
Yea Right
Yea Right
Marguerite Deschamps
Le Crisse d'Austin did not
ask the question because he could not live with the answer and the truth
which is not in accord with his COR fake news. No mon Crisse, there is
not more to it.
Tim Raworth
@Marguerite Deschamps
Hopefully CUPI will have a chance to have their say. The truth will come
out. You will just ignore it anyways.
Marguerite Deschamps
@Tim Raworth, what is the truth? Do tell!
Shawn McShane
@Marguerite Deschamps Judy
Astle , president, Local 4848 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees
says the problem is a lack of bilingual paramedics. At a recent workshop
she attended for new employees, only four of 13 were bilingual, Astle
said. "We can't snap our fingers and make them."
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/paramedics-ambulance-nb-bilingualism-1.3422603
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/paramedics-ambulance-nb-bilingualism-1.3422603
David Amos
@Marguerite Deschamps "what is the truth? Do tell!"
Methinks you know it already N'esy Pas?
Methinks you know it already N'esy Pas?
@David Amos
We all know the only truth you belive in is from your Anglo society buddies right ?
We all know the only truth you belive in is from your Anglo society buddies right ?
David Amos
@Marc Martin Methinks that nonsense o yours was resolved last night and you failed to dispute the truth N'esy Pas?
Chantal LeBouthi
So mr. Austin is a fake news kind of guy
Marguerite Deschamps
@Chantal LeBouthi, always was ever since he was a pastor, always is, always will be! And most divisive to boot!
David Amos
@Marguerite Deschamps And most divisive to boot!
and you are not?
and you are not?
Chantal LeBouthi
Nb politicians are so bad bad bad
Bernard McIntyre
@Chantal LeBouthi not all but alot are.
Chantal LeBouthi
@Bernard McIntyre
Yep
Yep
David Amos
@Bernard McIntyre Please name one
David Amos
@Chantal LeBouthi YUP
Bernard McIntyre
@David Amos Well Jerry Lowe Doesn't seem to be to bad yet.
Roland Godin
Austin or whoever, have you
any examples of people not being served in the langue officielle of
their choosing, English?...eh/voilà.
Marguerite Deschamps
@Roland Godin, Austin has no retort. He is owned!
Shawn McShane
@Roland Godin Anglo don't care as long as the ambulance arrives in time to save lives.
Roland Godin
@Shawn McShane
Really, so why do some insist in not encouraging providers to make an effort to respect les deux langues officielles?...EH!
Really, so why do some insist in not encouraging providers to make an effort to respect les deux langues officielles?...EH!
Bernard McIntyre
@Marguerite Deschamps You could say that about most , not all but most politician's.
Shawn McShane
@Roland Godin President Greg
McConaghy told reporters 150 jobs are being posted every eight weeks
that aren't getting filled. But because there aren't nearly enough
bilingual paramedics applying, unilingual ones are being hired on
eight-week contracts. That has resulted in higher wait times in many
regions and some communities, such as Nackawic, Harvey and McAdam going
uncovered on a daily basis...
David Amos
@Marguerite Deschamps "Austin has no retort. He is owned!"
Methinks everybody knows they all are N'esy Pas?
Methinks everybody knows they all are N'esy Pas?
Chantal LeBouthi
Austin only want fake news and divide poeples for his personal agenda of trying to be a politician
Pathetic
Pathetic
Bernard McIntyre
@Chantal LeBouthi As I said to Mr. Herbie Derbie. The same could be said that to Mr. Arseneau of the green party.
Mack Leigh
@Chantal LeBouthi
Please provide one.....one incidence where Austin has spread " fake " news and was trying to divide the people...... Kris Austin and the PANB are the most cohesive , positive and believable party out there... Austin says what he means and means what he says... Austin is not afraid to stand corrected or admit when he does not know something.... Austin is going by what he has been told dozens and dozens of times by the paramedics themselves and I will take the word of the paramedics over those of ANB, Medavie, PC's or Liberals any day.
Please provide one.....one incidence where Austin has spread " fake " news and was trying to divide the people...... Kris Austin and the PANB are the most cohesive , positive and believable party out there... Austin says what he means and means what he says... Austin is not afraid to stand corrected or admit when he does not know something.... Austin is going by what he has been told dozens and dozens of times by the paramedics themselves and I will take the word of the paramedics over those of ANB, Medavie, PC's or Liberals any day.
Marguerite Deschamps
@Chantal LeBouthi, pastors are the ones I trust the least.
Marguerite Deschamps
@Mack Leigh, then it's about time he brushes up on science which keeps disproving his fairytale myths.
Chantal LeBouthi
@Mack Leigh
You didn’t read the story above it seams
You didn’t read the story above it seams
Tim Raworth
@Mack Leigh Unfortunately he
has got in bed with the blue devil for 18 months and has to keep his
mouth shut on this. I hope CUPE will be able to set the record straight.
Donald LeBlanc
@Chantal LeBouthi Tell it to
the two 80 year old seniors who tried to save their son while an
ambulance sat 3 minutes away unstaffed.
That’s pathetic.
That’s pathetic.
Chantal LeBouthi
@Donald LeBlanc
Really Donald didn’t you read the news about others
Really Donald didn’t you read the news about others
John O'Brien
@Marguerite Deschamps French
are the ones I trust the least. Even a French politician from Tracadie
noted that she was dismayed at the crime and corruption in the Acadian
Peninsula.
Marguerite Deschamps
@John O'Brien, and you know what we call those who paint everyone with the same brush.
Shawn McShane
@Marguerite Deschamps
Marguerite Deschamps
Marguerite Deschamps
Marguerite Deschamps
@John O'Brien "French are the ones I trust the least." - You said it!
Dan Lee
@Marguerite Deschamps
@John O Brien is not very civil is he..........hmmmm wonder how come The Donald dint react to him...........2 guesses 1st one don't count............
@John O Brien is not very civil is he..........hmmmm wonder how come The Donald dint react to him...........2 guesses 1st one don't count............
David Amos
@Marguerite Deschamps "you know what we call those who paint everyone with the same brush."
SANB
SANB
Marc Martin
@Bernard McIntyre
Talking about people attacking people....
Talking about people attacking people....
Bernard McIntyre
@Marc Martin Some people here should know.
Marc Martin
@Bernard McIntyre
Yeah I agree you should now what you do here...
Yeah I agree you should now what you do here...
Donald LeBlanc
For some reason this site
does not want you to suggest to others that they should be more civil in
their postings. They are allowing insulting language but not a request
for civility.
Marguerite Deschamps
@Donald LeBlanc, we're dealing with old dinosaurs here!
Donald LeBlanc
@Marguerite Deschamps
Actually the comment for more civility was posted to you. There is no
need to be insulting. As a proud Acadian I find it inappropriate.
Bernard McIntyre
@Donald LeBlanc Some people
here are inappropriate. They seem to attack anyone, doesn't matter which
race of people if people don't agree with them.
Marguerite Deschamps
@Donald LeBlanc, kissing up to the likes of le Crisse d"Austin will get you nowhere.
Donald LeBlanc
@Marguerite Deschamps Again, who is being childish here?
Marguerite Deschamps
@Donald LeBlanc, who is being naive here?
Bernard McIntyre
@Marguerite Deschamps It seems to be the person asking Mr. Leblanc the question.
Marguerite Deschamps
@Bernard McIntyre, because
most on here don't even work, are anti-French spending most of their
time harping on here. They pinch their nose pretending to support the
self-professed acadien, Mister LeBlanc.
@Donald LeBlanc, and you
think the COR People Alliance is there for you ti t'acadien? - They
showed Laurie Robichaud the door telling him he didn't belong there.
Same old, same old!
Roland Godin
@Donald LeBlanc
Civility like rationality and discernment is almost extinct with the now OFF_ON switch of numeracy literacy, et cela dans les deux langues offcielles...et voilà.
Civility like rationality and discernment is almost extinct with the now OFF_ON switch of numeracy literacy, et cela dans les deux langues offcielles...et voilà.
Donald LeBlanc
@Donald LeBlanc Again my
response in this thread was disabled. It was civil, an honest question
and ended with Have a nice day! This site seems biased.
Marguerite Deschamps
@Donald LeBlanc, someone must have flagged you down. Some do that when they don't like the answer.
Donald LeBlanc
@Marguerite Deschamps the Liberals did the same to Kevin Arsenault, what’s your point?
Marguerite Deschamps
@Donald LeBlanc, I could not agree with you more! And they paid the price.
David Amos
@Marguerite Deschamps "we're dealing with old dinosaurs here!"
Methinks it takes one to know one N'esy Pas?
Methinks it takes one to know one N'esy Pas?
Marc Martin
@Bernard McIntyre
Your finnaly seeing the way you are !!!
Your finnaly seeing the way you are !!!
Bernard McIntyre
@Marguerite Deschamps Some people here seem to be Anti- every body.
Bernard McIntyre
@Marc Martin And how am I finally supposed to see me?
Jeff LeBlanc
@Donald LeBlanc careful or
she will accuse you of being a "fake" Acadian. Just mute her, if we all
mute her we take away her voice. I'd also recommend muting Marc Martin.
My food tastes better and the air seems so much cleaner now
Marc Martin
Time to close the books.
Fact : No live has been lost because of language.
Fact: PANB leader and his acolytes have been proven wrong.
Fact: People who tried to make this a language issue lost...again..
Next debate pls.
Fact : No live has been lost because of language.
Fact: PANB leader and his acolytes have been proven wrong.
Fact: People who tried to make this a language issue lost...again..
Next debate pls.
David Amos
@Marc Martin You don't debate
Marc Martin
@David Amos
I don't have to I always win. How are your friends at the Anglo society Davis ?
I don't have to I always win. How are your friends at the Anglo society Davis ?
No ambulance taken out of service over lack of bilingual staff, ANB says
Mechanical problems, absenteeism among the reasons an ambulance might be parked, officials say
Ambulance New Brunswick has told a
committee of MLAs that it has never taken an ambulance out of service
because of a lack of bilingual paramedics.
The comment by Medavie's vice-president for Ambulance New Brunswick, Matt Crossman, contradicted Progressive Conservative politicians who have blamed ambulance delays on bilingual hiring requirements.
"We would never take an ambulance out of service for language," he told the legislature's Crown corporations committee. "In fact, we exhaust every call-out list across the province to fill a shift."
Crossman was responding to a question from Progressive Conservative MLA Stewart Fairgrieve, who said he was aware of "speculation" that vacant bilingual-designated positions were to blame for parked ambulances.
Other
Tories, including Premier Blaine Higgs, have said in recent months that
the legal requirement for each two-person paramedic crew to provide
bilingual service was the reason many ambulances were idle.
Fairgrieve commented Tuesday that "in reality that would be a very rare circumstance" and asked Crossman if he agreed.
Matt
Crossman, Medavie’s vice-president for Ambulance New Brunswick, told a
committee of MLAs that no ambulances have been kept off the road because
service couldn't be provided in French and English. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
After Crossman did agree, the Carleton MLA said Crossman's answer matched his experience in his part of the province.
"I don't recall circumstances where an ambulance would have had to have gone out of service for anything other than mechanical reasons," Fairgrieve said.
He added: "I think Ambulance New Brunswick is doing a good job in that regard. The fact that you said 'never' is music to my ears."
People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin, who has also linked ambulance delays to bilingual requirements, did not challenge Crossman's comments during his own questioning of ANB officials.
Last year, Higgs said in an interview that relaxing bilingual hiring standards would address delays.
"Is it better to have no ambulance, or is it better to have an ambulance that will serve your needs and be there, and do what it can to provide that service?" he told Radio-Canada.
In December, the PC government announced a plan to relax bilingual hiring requirements in some regions of the province, as proposed by a labour arbitrator's ruling.
But a month later the Tories abandoned that plan and instead directed Ambulance New Brunswick to create "float teams" of unilingual paramedics to fill gaps until bilingual paramedics could be hired.
Progressive
Conservative MLA Stewart Fairgrieve said he was happy to hear that
ambulances were only ever taken out of service because of mechanical
issues. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
Government
lawyers have also argued in a judicial review of the labour ruling that
backing away from bilingual requirements would violate the Official
Languages Act and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Austin told reporters he didn't believe Crossman's answer on bilingualism but didn't challenge it during the committee session because the float team concept will resolve the issue.
"Directly, he may be correct," he said. "Indirectly, I think there's much more to it."
People's
Alliance Leader Kris Austin didn't challenge Matt Crossman's assertion
about a bilingual service but told reporters later that he believes
there's more to it. (CBC)
Austin said
unilingual paramedics who couldn't get full-time work had been reluctant
to temporarily replace bilingual employees in another province. Hiring
unilingual paramedics into permanent float-team positions would resolve
that, he said.
After the session wrapped up, Fairgrieve said he raised the issue because he "wanted some clarity" about out-of-service ambulances and many constituents had asked him about it.
"There's a lot of misconception about that amongst the public and my line of questioning was to bring clarity to that," he said.
He said he believed the officials "based on what they had to say, based on my own experience, based on what I've seen in my region. I can only speak for my region but yeah, I would believe that."
Richard
Losier, the CEO of Medavie Health Services New Brunswick, said there is
a light at the end of the tunnel in terms of hiring more paramedics. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
Asked if he thought Higgs would believe it, he told reporters, "you'd have to ask the leader that question."
He wouldn't say if he thought the answers would put the issue to rest politically.
"It was a pretty clear answer," he said.
Crossman said the main impact of bilingualism on staffing has been on the recruitment of paramedics from other provinces. He said the heated debate over the hiring requirement creates a perception among potential recruits "that it's a difficult situation to walk into."
Even so, Richard Losier, the CEO of Medavie Health Services New Brunswick, which oversees the ambulance service, told the committee that with several training programs underway, the organization sees "the light at the end of the tunnel" in terms of hiring.
The comment by Medavie's vice-president for Ambulance New Brunswick, Matt Crossman, contradicted Progressive Conservative politicians who have blamed ambulance delays on bilingual hiring requirements.
"We would never take an ambulance out of service for language," he told the legislature's Crown corporations committee. "In fact, we exhaust every call-out list across the province to fill a shift."
Crossman was responding to a question from Progressive Conservative MLA Stewart Fairgrieve, who said he was aware of "speculation" that vacant bilingual-designated positions were to blame for parked ambulances.
Fairgrieve commented Tuesday that "in reality that would be a very rare circumstance" and asked Crossman if he agreed.
'Music to my ears'
"I don't recall circumstances where an ambulance would have had to have gone out of service for anything other than mechanical reasons," Fairgrieve said.
He added: "I think Ambulance New Brunswick is doing a good job in that regard. The fact that you said 'never' is music to my ears."
People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin, who has also linked ambulance delays to bilingual requirements, did not challenge Crossman's comments during his own questioning of ANB officials.
"Is it better to have no ambulance, or is it better to have an ambulance that will serve your needs and be there, and do what it can to provide that service?" he told Radio-Canada.
In December, the PC government announced a plan to relax bilingual hiring requirements in some regions of the province, as proposed by a labour arbitrator's ruling.
But a month later the Tories abandoned that plan and instead directed Ambulance New Brunswick to create "float teams" of unilingual paramedics to fill gaps until bilingual paramedics could be hired.
Recruitment difficult
Austin told reporters he didn't believe Crossman's answer on bilingualism but didn't challenge it during the committee session because the float team concept will resolve the issue.
"Directly, he may be correct," he said. "Indirectly, I think there's much more to it."
After the session wrapped up, Fairgrieve said he raised the issue because he "wanted some clarity" about out-of-service ambulances and many constituents had asked him about it.
"There's a lot of misconception about that amongst the public and my line of questioning was to bring clarity to that," he said.
He said he believed the officials "based on what they had to say, based on my own experience, based on what I've seen in my region. I can only speak for my region but yeah, I would believe that."
He wouldn't say if he thought the answers would put the issue to rest politically.
"It was a pretty clear answer," he said.
Crossman said the main impact of bilingualism on staffing has been on the recruitment of paramedics from other provinces. He said the heated debate over the hiring requirement creates a perception among potential recruits "that it's a difficult situation to walk into."
Even so, Richard Losier, the CEO of Medavie Health Services New Brunswick, which oversees the ambulance service, told the committee that with several training programs underway, the organization sees "the light at the end of the tunnel" in terms of hiring.
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