Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms requires provincial and territorial governments to provide education to Canadians in the official language of their choice, even in areas where a minority of residents speaks that language.

In New-Brunswick where the official language of the majority is English, Canadian citizens have the right to have their children educated in French if one of these three situations applies:

• their first language learned and still understood is French; or
• they received their own primary education in Canada in French; or
• they have a child who has received or is receiving his or her primary or secondary education in French in Canada.

The right to receive an education in a minority language applies only when there is a sufficient number of children to justify schooling in that language. Where those numbers exist, governments must provide instruction in the minority language.

If you are not a right holder, you can still apply to send your child to a French-language school. The New-Brunswick Education Act states that a child with enough French language skills may be admitted to a school in that language.

Also, if a child speaks neither French nor English, he or she may be enrolled in a French school. French-language schools encourage applications from families that are new to New-Brunswick.