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Secrétariat du Conseil du Trésordu Canada

Treasury Board of CanadaSecretariat

March 2000

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canadarepresented by the President of the Treasury Board, 2000Catalogue No. BT 2/18-2000ISBN 0-662-64888-9

This document is available in alternative formats and on the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Web site at the following address: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca and on theOfficial Languages Web site at the following address:http//www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ollo

Copies of the brochure may be obtained by contacting the:

Distribution CentreTreasury Board of Canada Secretariat300 Laurier Avenue WestOttawa, OntarioK1A 0R5Telephone: (613) 995-2855

Task Force on the Visibility of Official Languages withinCrown Corporations and Other Institutions Subject tothe Official Languages Act

Crown Corporations Advisory Committee on Official LanguagesTreasury Board of Canada Secretariat

My mandate:To make official languages

an integral part of decision making.

Official Languages: An Integral Part of Decision Making


4

We must not see ourselves as a smallcountry of 30 million people, floundering

in a large land mass. We are among thehealthiest, best-educated people in the world,

with great natural riches. We have twoof the world’s great languages.

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson

Governor General of Canada

Extract from her installation speech, Thursday, October 7, 1999

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Table of Contents

Message from the President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Official Languages Champion’s Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Proposed Strategic Activities . . . . . . . . . . .15 A. Promotion of official languages . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

B. Info-training for executivesand personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

C. Optimization of official languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

D. Management of official languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Appendix I:List of Resource Persons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Appendix II:Members of the Task Force on the Visibility of Official Languageswithin Crown Corporations and Other Institutions Subject to the Official Languages Act;

and Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Message from the President

T he Government is an unwavering proponentof linguistic duality, a deep-rooted valueof our country that is at the very heart of

Canadian society. As President of the TreasuryBoard, I believe that your role as "officiallanguages champion" within your organizationis an essential step in fulfilling the Government’scommitment to Canadians. We all knowthat respect for both our official languages,throughout Canada, is an essential conditionfor our country’s social harmony.

As you know, the Official Languages Actcontains specific provisions for federalinstitutions governing service to the public,language of work, equitable participation ofEnglish- and French-speaking Canadians andsupport for the development of the officiallanguage minority communities. The visibleand sustained commitment of all levels ofmanagement in the organization is essentialto successful implementation of Canadian policy

on official languages. That is why it is importantfor you, as an official languages champion, to

disseminate and promote widely the activitiesdescribed in this guide.

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Messag

e


7

As a champion of official languages, you are calledon to provide leadership, particularly among membersof your institution’s senior management committee, toensure that decisions take into account officiallanguages obligations.

This guide has been prepared for you in particular,but the personnel of your institution can also use it.It describes some strategic activities designed topromote integration of official languages in alldecisions concerning your organization’s functionaland statutory activities in headquarters and the regions.

Allow me to thank you for your tangible contributionto the advancement of official languages in yourorganization. I hope that you will find this guide usefulas you carry out your responsibilities, to the end thatall aspects of official languages will be enhancedin all the activities of your institution.

Lucienne RobillardPresident of the Treasury Board

I n 1999, two reports were produced. No Turning Back:Official Languages in the Face of GovernmentTransformations, by the Task Force on Government

Transformations and Official Languages, wassubmitted to the President of the Treasury Board,the Hon. Marcel Massé; while Official LanguageMinority Communities: Promoting GovernmentObjectives, by consultant Donald Savoie, wassubmitted to key federal departments responsiblefor official languages.

These two reports and a Treasury Board decisionof March 1998 enjoin institutions subject to the OfficialLanguages Act (the OLA or the Act), includingCrown corporations and all other institutions towhich the Act applies, to take the necessary stepsto enhance the visibility of official languages withintheir organizations. The appointment of officiallanguages champions supports that objective.

A task force was set up under the Treasury Boardof Canada Secretariat's Crown Corporations AdvisoryCommittee on Official Languages to prepare a guidefor official languages champions. This guide can also

be used by all personnel in the institutions to promotethe integration of official languages in the decisions

related to the functional and statutory activities of Crowncorporations and other institutions subject to the OLA.

Introduction

8

Introduction


9

At the front of the document you will find a checklistfor official languages champion. It contains ten significantresults to guide the action of the official languageschampions with respect to their colleagues on the seniormanagement committee. To help attain the desiredresults, the document then suggests 35 strategicactivities, grouped around the following four themes:promotion of official languages, info-training for executivesand personnel, optimization of official languages, andmanagement of official languages. So readers canobtain further information, each activity is followed byan abbreviation corresponding to the name of theinstitution and a resource person, as applicable. The listof resource persons is in Appendix I, while Appendix IIlists the Task Force members who participated in thepreparation of this guide.


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Official Languages Champion’s

ChecklistA

ctiv

itie

s

Champi

on’s

Che

ck

list

Yes No

1 Does the senior management committee maintain that respecting the language rights of the public and the employees is part of sound business management? ■■ ■■

2 Does the senior management committee set an example by holding its meetings in both official languages? ■■ ■■

3 Do senior management committee members and all sectors ensure that comparable quality services (under the OLA and its Regulations) are provided to the public in both official languages? ■■ ■■

4 Are senior management committee members and all sectors promoting a work environment conducive to the effective use of both official languages (under the OLA and related Treasury Board policy)? ■■ ■■

5 Is documentation regularly disseminated to executives, managers and employees to inform them about the Official Languages Program (activities, language rights and obligations)? ■■ ■■

6 Are mechanisms in place for consultation with official language minority communities to optimize the impact of the institution’s decisions on them, in terms of service quality and support for their development? ■■ ■■

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Official Languages Champion’s ChecklistAs a result of my efforts and actions, particularly with senior managementcommittee members, have the following results been attained?

Champion’ s

Checklist


13

Yes No

7 Where applicable, are mechanisms in place to ensure thatall aspects of official languages are taken into account:

a) in research, strategic planning and program design; b) in memoranda to Cabinet, submissions

to the Treasury Board, federal-provincial agreements, institutional transformations and partnership agreements? ■■ ■■

8 Has an official languages component been included in internal audits and program evaluations? ■■ ■■

9 In institutions where applicable, have appropriate language clauses been included in grant approval letters and contribution agreements to voluntary non-governmental organizations, in accordance with the spirit of Treasury Board policy? ■■ ■■

10 Does the organizational structure have sufficient human and financial resources in place, at national and regional levels, to permit effective management of the official languages obligations? ■■ ■■

(Detachable checklist enclosed)


Act

ivit

ies

Proposed Strategic Activities

A Promotion of official languages

B Info-training for executives and personnel

C Optimization of official languages

D Management of official languages

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Activ

ities

Promotion of official languages

Include, in the institution’s statement of objectives,a commitment to Canada’s linguistic duality asa fundamental value of our society. (cf. AIR, CBC, FCC and NCC)

Ensure that the chief executive officer promotes thiscommitment in his/her speeches and messages tostaff and the public. (cf. CBC, FCC and NCC)

Use both official languages in senior managementcommittee communications, and in all meetingsinvolving participants of both official languagegroups (under the OLA and its Regulations).(cf. BNK and NCC)

Ensure that members of the senior managementcommittee, as well as the managers of all sectorsconcerned, support the effective integration of officiallanguages considerations into their operational andstatutory activities. (cf. FCC, NAR and NCC)

Establish an institutional program to recognizeofficial languages initiatives.

Promote the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat’sOfficial Languages Award of Distinction by encouragingemployee nominations. (cf. TBD)

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Promotion

A

17

Take advantage of special events, such as theRendez-vous de la Francophonie, the Games ofLa Francophonie and the Commonwealth Gamesto organize activities that encourage employeeparticipation and stress the importance of bothofficial languages. (cf. CBC, NAR and NCC)

Report regularly to the senior managementcommittee on the institution’s official languagesperformance (service to the public, languageof work, equitable participation of English- andFrench-speaking Canadians, and support forthe development of official language minoritycommunities). (cf. AIR, BNK, FCC and NCC)

Highlight the added value of effectively using bothofficial languages for clients and employees.(cf. FCC and NCC)

Post your institution’s official languagesannual report on the Intranet/Internet site. (cf. BNK and CBC)

Info-training for executives and personnel

Provide training modules to respond to specificneeds of the institution’s staff (executives, managers,employees) particularly regarding:

the institution’s obligations to serve the public inboth official languages (where required underthe OLA and its Regulations) — publish the list ofoffices obligated to do so;

managerial obligations and employee rightsconcerning language of work (where applicable);

institutional objectives concerning the partici-pation of English- and French-speakingCanadians; and

developmental needs of official languageminority communities (Anglophone in Quebecand Francophone outside Quebec), by identifyinginstitutional objectives and activities that will respondto those needs, based on the institution’s mandate. (cf. AIR, FCC, NAR, NCC, PSC, REH and TBD)

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Info-training

BOfficial Languages: An Integral Part of Decision Making

19

Present major OLA components in orientation sessionsfor new employees, in one-on-one meetings with newrecruits, in internal training activities for executives,managers and employees and in all other forums,where appropriate. (cf. AIR, CBC, DIC, FCC, NAR, NCC and RCM)

Take advantage of existing means (bulletins, newsflashes, employee newsletters, the Intranet site) topromote official languages regarding:

the obligation to serve the public in both officiallanguages in designated bilingual offices (includingpromotional tools, flyers, the Internet, informationbooths, service to the travelling public, serviceprovided by third parties, public events of nationaland international scope, and services relatedto health, safety and security);

language rights of employees in designatedbilingual regions as well as the relatedrequirements of managers; and

support for the development of official languageminority communities.(cf. AIR, CBC, CPO, FCC, NAR and NCC)


20

Produce, adapt and disseminate documents onlanguage of work (managers’ obligations, employees’rights, and creation of an environment conducive tothe effective use of both official languages) and onservice to the public (active offer and servicedelivery). (cf. AIR, BNK, COL, CPO, NCC, RCM and TBD)

Introduce activities to maintain or develop the secondlanguage (for employees who have already attaineda given language level) and language trainingactivities (for employees who wish to learn theother official language, even though they are notin bilingual positions). (cf. AIR, BNK, CBC, NAR and NCC)

21

Optimization of official languages

Introduce a mechanism to ensure memorandato Cabinet and submissions to the Treasury Board,as applicable, are systematically analysed tooptimize their effects on institutional bilingualism(service to the public, language of work andparticipation of English- and French-speakingCanadians), and on support for the developmentof official language minority communities. (cf. TBD)

Introduce a mechanism to ensure institutionalinitiatives (alternative service delivery, institutionaltransformations, partnerships and federal-provincialagreements), as applicable, are systematicallyanalysed to optimize their effects on institutionalbilingualism (service to the public, language of workand participation of English- and French-speakingCanadians), and on support for the developmentof official language minority communities. (cf. NAR, NCC, RCM and TBD)

Ensure that the institution’s strategic planningprocesses take into consideration all aspectsof official languages. (cf. BNK, CBC, NAR and NCC)

Opt

imiz

atio

n

C


22

Encourage consultation with official languageminority communities, in terms of service qualityand support for their development, to optimize theimpact of decisions on them, relating to research,policies, programs, services (including alternativeservice delivery) and initiatives (including institutionaltransformations, partnerships and federal-provincialagreements). (cf. CBC, RCM and REH)

Ensure that institutional standards for quality ofservice to the public or staff, where applicable,promote the organization’s commitment to serviceof comparable quality in both official languagesas a fundamental value of the institution anda best practice for human resources andbusiness management. (cf. AIR and NCC)

Include an official languages component in allinternal audits and program evaluations.(cf. AIR, BNK, CBC, NAR and NCC)

Ensure the institution’s statutory policies, whereapplicable, consider official languages in serviceto the public, language of work, participationof Canada’s Anglophones and Francophones,and support for development of official languageminority communities. (cf. CBC and NCC)

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Incorporate data requirements related to the supportfor development of official language minoritycommunities into research plans, as applicable.

In institutions where applicable, ensure compliancewith the spirit of Treasury Board policy on grantsand contributions to voluntary non-governmentalorganizations serving members of both officiallanguage communities. (cf. NCC)


Management of official languages

Prepare an official languages plan on the obligationsconcerning service to the public, the languageof work and participation of English- and French-speaking Canadians. (cf. BNK, FCC, NAR and NCC)

Prepare a progress report by sector, where applicable,on the degree to which official languages objectiveshave been met, and, where necessary, prepare aplan to remedy any discrepancies in performanceas identified in progress reports, internal andexternal audits, studies by the Commissionerof Official languages, or others. (cf. FCC and NAR)

Prepare an action plan and report on achievementsin implementing Section 41 of the Act for institutionsas designated in the government’s August 1994accountability framework. (cf. PCH)

Ensure the institution has an organizational structure,including human resources and operating budgets,sufficient to effectively manage official languagesat national and regional levels.(cf. AIR, BNK, CBC, DIC, NAR and NCC)

Set up an intra-institutional network or committee(between headquarters and/or regions) to ensurethat the official languages objectives are being met.(cf. NAR, NRC and REH)

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Managem

ent

D

25

See that the institution’s human resources planning,including succession planning and staff mobility,covers present and future needs of bilingualemployees at all levels, in all categories, in allsectors and in all designated bilingual offices, atheadquarters and in the regions.(cf. AIR, BNK, CBC, FCC, NAR and NCC)

Provide follow-up for executive language trainingplans to comply with the spirit of the Treasury BoardPolicy Concerning the Language Requirements forMembers of the Executive Group (CBC for EX) – inother words, the equivalent for Crown corporationsand other institutions subject to the OLA.(cf. BNK, CBC, FCC and NCC)

Where needed, publish guidelines to help theinstitution meets its obligations concerninglanguage of work and service to the publicin accordance with the Act.(cf. AIR, BNK, CBC, FCC, NAR and NCC)

Ensure that resources and tools are available inEnglish and French, to deliver service to the publicin both official languages in all offices obliged todo so under the OLA and its Regulations.(cf. AIR, BNK, CBC, DIC, FCC, NAR and NCC)


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Ensure the work environment is conducive to aneffective use of both official languages. Therefore,supervision, training and development, personneland central services, meetings and work instruments,including computerized tools, are available in Englishand French in offices situated in bilingually designatedregions (OLA Part V – Language of Work). (cf. AIR, BNK, CBC and NCC)

In accordance with the spirit of Treasury Boardpolicy on the administration of the OfficialLanguages Program, and where applicable, includein the managers’ performance appraisals a sectionon their contribution to the implementation ofpolicies on service to the public, language of workand equitable participation of English- and French-speaking Canadians. (cf. BNK and NAR)

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Conclusion

T he 35 activities proposed in thisguide are designed to help the officiallanguages champion and personnel

in his or her institution, make official languagesan integral part of all decisions relating totheir functional and statutory activities in theorganization. In fact, these activities arekey to the institution being able to attainfull integration of official languages intoits operations.

The Task Force is convinced that by usingall the organization’s resources, the officiallanguages champion will be able to raisehis or her institution’s consciousness on theimportance of respect for the rights andobligations under the Act, and the realitiesand aspirations of official languageminority communities.

Conc

lusi

on


Appendix I

List of Resource Persons

(AIR) Air CanadaMichelle Perreault-IeraciTel.: (514) 422-5927Fax: (514) 422-5940E-mail: [email protected]

(BNK) Bank of Canada Guylaine Cazabon Tel.: (613) 782-7436Fax: (613) 782-8954E-mail: gcazabon@bank–banque–canada.ca

(CBC) Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Hélène GendronTel.: (613) 724-5569Fax: (613) 724-5348E-mail: [email protected]

(COL) Commissioner of Official Languages Lyne DucharmeTel.: (613) 995-0363Fax: (613) 943-2255E-mail: [email protected]

(CPO) Canada Post Corporation Robert GauthierTel.: (613) 734-8596Fax: (613) 734-7329E-mail: [email protected]

(DIC) Canada Deposit Insurance CorporationJoëlle DumontTel.: (613) 992-7071Fax: (613) 943-1994E-mail: s/o

(FCC) Farm Credit Corporation CanadaMarie-France KennyTel.: (306) 780-5183Fax: (306) 780-5456E-mail: [email protected]

(NAR) Canada Customs and Revenue AgencySuzanne RouthierTel.: (613) 954-8220Fax: (613) 954-8263E-mail: [email protected]

28

Append

ixI

29

(NCC) National Capital CommissionDaniel ArchambaultTel.: (613) 239-5374Fax: (613) 239-5552E-mail: [email protected]

(NRC) National Research Council CanadaChristiane CharronTel.: (613) 993-5793Fax: (613) 998-0679E-mail: [email protected]

(PCH) Canadian Heritage Pierre Goulet Tel.: (819) 997-7584Fax: (819) 953-3942E-mail: [email protected]

(PSC) Public Service Commission of CanadaLuc WhisselTel.: (819) 953-5400Fax: (819) 953-7953E-mail: [email protected]

(RCM) Royal Canadian Mounted Police Dieter SchachhuberTel.: (613) 993-5253Fax: (613) 993-3414E-mail: s/o

(REH) Human Resources Development CanadaMichelle Hamelin Tel.: (819) 997-5771Fax: (819) 997-9399E-mail: [email protected]

(TBD) Treasury Board of Canada SecretariatBernadette LarrueTel.: (613) 952-2866Fax: (613) 952-3231E-mail: [email protected]

Appendix IIMembers of the Task Force on the Visibility of OfficialLanguages within Crown Corporations and OtherInstitutions Subject to the Official Languages Act:

Nicole Fortier, Task Force ChairpersonTreasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Guylaine CazabonBank of Canada

Robert GauthierCanada Post Corporation

Marie-France KennyFarm Credit Corporation Canada

Maguy RobertExport Development Corporation

Resource Members:Gérald Groulx and Suzanne ParisienTreasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Acknowledgements

The Task Force would like to thank the membersof the Crown Corporations Advisory Committeeon Official Languages, who agreed to share their

institutions’ experiences in carrying out some ofthe strategic activities.

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Official Languages: An Integral Part of Decision MakingAppendix

II