Evidence of meeting #32 for Official Languages in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was languages.
A recording is available from Parliament.
9:45 a.m.
Conservative
Greg Rickford Conservative Kenora, ON
I'm going to ask a more specific question about the Department of Canadian Heritage, which I represent. We know that the minister of Canadian Heritage is responsible for official languages, even though it's the departments that implement the concrete steps, the positive measures. This is a more intellectual question, as I said earlier during my questions.
How are you working with the minister of Canadian Heritage to define the concept of positive measures? In addition, to comply further with Part VII of the Official Languages Act, with regard to which you have obligations, what kind of cooperation is there between you and the department? How is that working itself out?
9:45 a.m.
President, Public Service Commission of Canada
We work together a lot and we have regular contact. Now we are in the midst of discussions to determine what we can do with regard to Part VII. I mentioned the delegations. There is another way whereby we could perhaps have a greater impact and make a bigger contribution, and that's through the federal councils in the regions. Perhaps we from the commission and the people who have that bilingual capability across the country can do more work with those communities.
I know what my people work all the time with the Department of Canadian Heritage.
9:45 a.m.
Senior Vice-President and Champion of Official Languages, Public Service Commission of Canada
For example, following the report, we submitted our draft plan to the Department of Canadian Heritage for discussion purposes to determine whether their evaluation met expectations.
We're reviewing the plan in concrete terms in order to come to a mutual understanding of what is possible.
9:45 a.m.
Conservative
Greg Rickford Conservative Kenora, ON
I'm just trying to squeeze in one last question to you, then, Madame Barrados. In your 2010-11 estimates, the reports on plans and priorities, you identified several indicators with performance measures. Given the conversation that took place a year ago at the Senate committee hearings, have those discussions led to a change?
I didn't read the previous estimates for this. I wasn't involved in this committee. Have those indicators changed as a result of this dialogue? And to what extent might the performance measures be different?
9:45 a.m.
President, Public Service Commission of Canada
We are in the process of doing our plans and priorities documents, and obviously we have to make sure we deal with the issues raised by the Commissioner of Official Languages. I want to have a better performance--
9:50 a.m.
President, Public Service Commission of Canada
Yes, of course I want an A, and when I see that my folks don't feel they can write in the language of their choice and I have over 60% francophones, I'm assuming that English is the dominant language and they can't write in French. That's very frustrating to me, because they can certainly send me whatever they want in French. It's a good reminder that we have to do some work--and we will.
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
Thank you very much, Mr. Rickford.
We'll finish with Mr. Nadeau.
9:50 a.m.
Bloc
Richard Nadeau Bloc Gatineau, QC
In light of what I said earlier, none of 16 departments showed that public servants felt comfortable writing in French to their supervisors. Only three in 16 feel comfortable being supervised in French by their supervisors.
There is enormous pressure. I'm familiar with the case of a person very close to me who stopped writing documents in French because that was frowned upon in one department, the Department of Canadian Heritage—with all the affection I have for it. It is supposed to be the model for the defence of the French fact in the departments. And that person no longer writes in French because people look at that person askance.
How do you at the Public Service Commission go about telling these highly placed people, perhaps at your meetings with all the deputy ministers, that these kinds of situations are unacceptable?
Here's a final example. The new director of the St. Lawrence Seaway, a bilingual English Quebecker, arrived in Cornwall, Ontario, in November and addressed a group of Franco-Ontarians, and they answered him in English, only because they're used to responding in English and things go more quickly in that language. And yet they all have a right to speak French. That, for me, is the reality of the public service for all francophones, from the moment you move away from a location that has a critical mass of francophones.
What's being done? Where are we headed so that you can tell people, when they enter the public service, that they have a right, that they maintain their right, and to the top bosses, not to put undue pressure on people who want to maintain their right?
9:50 a.m.
President, Public Service Commission of Canada
I think it's still a matter of leadership and of monitoring the situation in your own department. In my case, I got the impression that was clear to everyone: people have a right to write in the language of their choice. As the report states, that's not the case, and that's something we have to correct.
That has to be something that comes from the deputy ministers and assistant deputy ministers, and that has to be an ongoing message.
9:50 a.m.
Senior Vice-President and Champion of Official Languages, Public Service Commission of Canada
The Treasury Board is responsible for—
November 23rd, 2010 / 9:50 a.m.
President, Public Service Commission of Canada
It's the deputy minister who must ensure implementation—
9:50 a.m.
Senior Vice-President and Champion of Official Languages, Public Service Commission of Canada
The Treasury Board is responsible for policy.
9:50 a.m.
Bloc
Richard Nadeau Bloc Gatineau, QC
Please take a section and report to us on it. The Commissioner of Official Languages has a mandate to... I understand that, but it should be the mandate of every department. This is a reflection of the image Canada projects of itself, and it's false.
I would like us to take a closer look at something: inside the machine, when people are hired, it must be emphasized to them that, should any problem arise in that regard, these people should feel comfortable. We know there is a lot of pressure on people, especially when they start their jobs, but they nevertheless have to be able to write in the language of their choice.
9:50 a.m.
President, Public Service Commission of Canada
Thank you, that's a very good suggestion.
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
Thank you, Mr. Nadeau. That completes the round of questions.
If committee members are in agreement, Mr. Bélanger would like to ask one final question before we thank our witnesses. Then we'll go to our committee business, since we have work ahead of us.
Mr. Bélanger, go ahead, please.
9:50 a.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
I just want to ask the commission to send us a copy of its new action plan once it is complete.
9:50 a.m.
A voice
Absolutely.
9:50 a.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
I'd like to have a written response later to this question: if regulations were made under Part VII, would that be helpful to you?
Thank you.
9:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
The question has been asked, and there is also other information.
Thank you for coming to appear before us this morning. You are the first federal agency that we have heard from since the commissioner appeared, with regard to our business.
We'll suspend proceedings for a few minutes and continue in camera.
Thank you.
[Proceedings continue in camera]
