Official Languages Committee on Feb. 5th, 2008

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

You cannot say how many public servants receive language training, it depends on each respective department. How can we assess the number of people who undergo training?

[Kelly Collins]

If you are talking about training relating to non-imperative staffing—I believe that is what you were referring to—we are governed by a statutory instrument of the Public Service Commission, which is

an official languages exclusion order.

That gives us two years to meet language requirements, attain a BBB, or CBC level, according to the requirements of the position. The commission is responsible for follow-up. We, for one, assist them with our annual report. Departments provide statistics to us on this matter, and the Public Service Commission follows up with the departments. Through this instrument, employees sign an agreement stipulating that if they fail to meet their obligations, they can be seconded to a position that suits their language abilities. Therefore, it is the commission which is responsible for following up on these cases.

The other part of the waiting list is comprised of people who had requested language training to further develop their careers. The responsibility is therefore shared between the manager and the employee who is seeking to improve future possibilities.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Is there any follow-up as to whether or not the department approves a person's request, thereby granting him or her training, or it simply stated that the matter is the employee's responsibility, and not at all the employer's? What is the attitude?

[Kelly Collins]

The department is responsible for resolving the problem, but must work with the Public Service Commission.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Very well, thank you very much.

We will now begin our third round of questioning beginning with Mr. Mauril Bélanger.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome and thank you.

Since we're talking about the action plan, I would like to know if Mr. Bernard Lord consulted you, either individually or collectively, with respect to the plan's renewal.

[Karen Ellis]

Not directly at the agency.

[Donna Achimov]

Nor directly at the school.

[Andrée Duchesne]

Not directly, no. However, at the Department of Justice, we work in close cooperation with the Secretariat of Official Languages, and particularly on the interdepartmental committee of official languages stakeholders.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

But with respect to my question about Mr. Lord, the answer is no.

[Andrée Duchesne]

Indeed.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Thank you.

Ms. Achimov, can you tell me when the last meeting of champions took place?

[Donna Achimov]

Meetings are held every two months and a meeting of the deputy ministers is held almost every month. One of those meetings was held last week.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Are the minutes of those meetings available to parliamentarians?

[Karen Ellis]

Kelly will answer.

[Kelly Collins]

I'm not sure if they are available to parliamentarians, but I believe that they are posted on our website.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

If they are available on the website, I assume we can access them.

[Karen Ellis]

Yes, they are available.

[Kelly Collins]

We will check.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Thank you.

Earlier, we were talking about access to justice, and I can understand if this matter does fall within the jurisdiction of the department, but according to recent statistics I obtained from the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs, the government appointed 32 judges in Ontario over the last two years. Everyone of them indicated that they preferred to receive their correspondence in English. Based on that, I am not saying that all the judges are unilingual anglophones. Indeed, the office does not specify whether or not a judge is bilingual; it only indicates which language a judge wishes to receive his or her correspondence in.

What was indicated, however, was that a judge appointed in Manitoba, one appointed in New Brunswick, and another one appointed in the north had asked to receive their correspondence in French. I would assume therefore that these judges would be able to preside over trials in French. I don't have the impression that the situation is very good in Ontario.

Madam Duchesne, has your group formulated any opinion on this matter?

[Andrée Duchesne]

All I can answer is that we will certainly endeavour to provide you with information on this subject or to answer your question in writing.

As you know, the area of judicial appointments does not fall within our mandate.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

I understand that.

[Andrée Duchesne]

It is therefore impossible for me to answer you.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

But would you agree that one of the significant, if not essential factors in providing access to justice is making sure that judges are able to hear cases in both English and French?

[Andrée Duchesne]

I believe that it is important for judges to be able to hear cases in the language of the accused.