Changes are coming with respect to the staffing of bilingual paramedics in New Brunswick.
On Wednesday, the government ordered Ambulance New Brunswick (ANB) to implement the directives contained in a recent ruling by labour adjudicator John McEvoy.
Health Minister Ted Flemming said these changes will improve the availability of trained and qualified paramedics currently in the system.
“This announcement represents another step towards improving paramedic service in the province and prioritizing the lives and safety of New Brunswickers,” Flemming said in a statement.
In his April decision, McEvoy ruled ANB must hire on the basis of seniority in areas where the need for bilingual paramedics is not “relevant”.
It appears to fly in the face of a 2017 ruling by the Court of Queen’s Bench which said all citizens must have access to service in the language of their choice.
The previous Liberal government asked for a judicial review of the adjudicator’s decision to clarify how to proceed.
The Tories previously said they intended to withdraw the review but that is no longer the case.
“The Department of Health does not object to the government proceeding with the judicial review of the adjudicator’s decision for the purposes of legal clarity,” Flemming said.
