Official Languages Committee on Nov. 3rd, 2009

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Bonjour. Welcome to the 38th meeting of the Standing Committee on Official Languages.

We are meeting today pursuant to Standing Order 108 in our study of the official languages program transformation model and training of francophone recruits in the Canadian Forces.

We are very proud to have two witnesses.

Allow me to introduce the Chief of Military Personnel, General Semianiw, who is accompanied by Colonel Meloche, Director of Official Languages.

Welcome to the committee.

Mr. Semianiw, I invite you to make your opening address.

[Mgén W. Semianiw, chef du personnel militaire, ministère de la Défense nationale]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Members of the committee, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to take this opportunity first to thank you for inviting our team here today to discuss the National Defence official languages program transformation model and the progress made since our last appearance before you in December 2007.

First, I would like to thank Mr. Nadeau for the Thetford Mines flag he has given me.

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

You're quite welcome.

[MGen W. Semianiw]

I am the Chief of Military Personnel and Official Language Champion for the Canadian Forces. Today with me are Major-General Daniel Gosselin, Commandant Canadian Defence Academy; Colonel Louis Meloche, Director of Official Languages; Colonel Guy Hamel, Commander Canadian Forces Support Training Group (CFSTG) and Base Borden; and Lieutenant-Colonel Steve Whelan, Commandant Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec.

During the first hour with Colonel Meloche, we will be able to provide you with a good sense of the National Defence official languages program. We will be followed by Major-General Daniel Gosselin and his team, who in turn will discuss recruit training in the Canadian Forces and in particular the situation at Canadian Forces Base Borden.

First, concerning the transformation model, as you are all well aware, National Defence has developed and implemented a strategic action plan, called the official languages program transformation model. The OLPTM, as we call it, maps out how our personnel are to be led, administered, and supported in their official language of choice. Since the implementation of this five-year plan, which began in April 2007, much progress has been made, such as the review of the linguistic designation of each Canadian Forces unit; an aggressive awareness campaign plan to ensure that all personnel—military, civilian, and dependants—are aware of their linguistic rights; and the preparation and promulgation of key policies.

Colonel Meloche will explain some of our achievements in greater detail.

In terms of recruit training and CFB Borden, the issue regarding francophone recruits not receiving the services that they should and instruction in French upon their arrival at the base has been redressed. Recruits are now made aware, through their orientation package, of their linguistic responsibilities and rights, including services entitled in the official language of their choice.

Today, a growing number of recruits are receiving instruction in their OL of choice, thanks to additional bilingual structures in national schools and the translation of more textbooks. Lieutenant-Colonel Whelan will give you more details on recruit training in the second hour.

Also in the second hour, you will hear from General Gosselin and from Colonel Hamel on the measures taken to significantly improve Borden's OLA compliance.

As you are well aware, a view of the issue in Borden was one of leadership, that the leadership both in Borden and in Ottawa had to take a direct and firm stand to ensure that the program was fully implemented not only in Borden but across the Canadian Forces.

I must add that I am very proud of the excellent work done by the team in Borden. I was able to witness this first hand during my recent visit on September 4, 2009.

In terms of commitment, as a Canadian Forces official languages champion, I can say that the changes we have made and continue to make clearly show that the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces are firmly committed to full implementation of the act.

This commitment starts with our leaders.

Following the Chief of Defence Staff's January 2009 guidance, all senior officers must comply with the linguistic requirements of their rank--for example, if all major-generals like myself do not have a CBC linguistic profile by the end of December of this year, they will be expected to take their release from the Canadian Forces next summer.

The overall goal for the senior leadership of the Canadian Forces, be it a three-star, two-star, or one-star general, will be achieved no later than December 2011. I recently sent a letter to each brigadier-general/commodore in the Canadian Forces reminding them of their target, which is a CBC linguistic profile by December 31, 2011, if they wish to remain in the Canadian Forces.

This commitment goes hand in hand with our vision to fully integrate the Canadian linguistic duality to the organizational culture of the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces.

In conclusion, we have a plan, the OLPTM, and we have made much progress in many areas. But we would argue that progress takes time if we want to ensure it lasts a long time.

We are better today than we were in the past.

We know what needs to be done to be better. We are addressing the systemic issues that have made compliance with the act challenging, and in true military fashion, we are committed to completing that for our men and women in uniform.

I will be happy to answer your questions after Colonel Meloche has had a few words.

Thank you.

[Col J.P.L. Meloche, Director of Official Languages, Department of National Defence]

Thank you, general.

Good morning, Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen.

I would like to start by explaining achievements to date with regard to the implementation of the Official Languages Program Transformation Model 2007-2012, which has three aims.

The first aim is to efficiently manage bilingual personnel. The first phase of the project to review the linguistic designation of units and functions consisted of a complete review of the linguistic designation of all Canadian Forces units, 568 to be exact, which brought on 28 additional bilingual units. This phase has been completed.

The second phase of the project entails the review of military functions and civilian positions. This portion of the project has started and should be completed by the end of 2009.

This review will indicate how to optimize our resources by staffing linguistically qualified personnel in bilingual functions and by better defining which civilian positions need to be bilingual.

As part of the first aim, we can see that a better understanding of the functional approach is taking place and its gradual integration will allow commanding officers to benefit from all competencies, including linguistic competencies, of CF members in their unit by employing them at the right place at the right time.

Services that need to be offered in both official languages are ensured by bilingual staff in a single organization.

The second aim is to enhance awareness and education. Official languages visibility was increased by focusing on specific areas of concern, like linguistic rights, and offering clear and accessible information to all civilian employees, military personnel and their dependents.

Articles, pamphlets, presentations, kiosks, posters and brochures are among the major activities that took place in the last year or are currently taking place. I have copies here, if you wish.

The network of coordinators of official languages, that is the personnel designated to advise Commanders of Commands and Group Principals on official languages issues, has been revived and has increased its participation in awareness and education initiatives.

An online course to OL was designed for the OL coordinator and its content was customized to Defence needs.

The third aim is performance measurement.

Performance indicators have been developed as well as a performance measurement system, which are currently being piloted. System implementation is planned for March 31, 2011.

There have been other achievements. The endorsement of Canadian Forces senior officers and the support of department executives are, in my opinion, key to the successful implementation of the model thus far.

The model also includes policy development in support of its aims and activities. Some policies have already been promulgated, such as delivery of training and education in both official languages and second language education and training for Canadian Forces members. Other policies have been drafted, revised, and are currently awaiting legal review before promulgation in the near future.

In conclusion, the model is a witness to our continued progress. Now in its mid-term of five years of implementation, we can foresee the model's aims being achieved, its activities being carried out, and I am confident that the defence workplace will fully integrate linguistic duality in its organizational culture.

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you very much, Colonel Meloche and General Semianiw.

We'll now begin our first round with Mr. D'Amours.

[Jean-Claude D'Amours, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, General Semianiw and Colonel Meloche, for being here before the committee this morning to discuss the entire matter of the National Defence Official Languages Program Transformation Model. I have a few questions, perhaps some requests for clarification in some cases.

You talked about ranks of senior officers that will have to achieve an objective by very specific dates. Are we talking about training or people in the field? For example, in Afghanistan, does that require senior officers to be able to speak both official languages with soldiers, or is it limited to the top officers of the armed forces?

[MGen W. Semianiw]

Thank you for the question, Mr. Chairman.

First, to be clear, to provide some clarification back,

We decided to start with the generals and admirals. But it's very clear, with regard to the generals, like General Natynchuk, who have one, two or three stars, that

by December of 2011

if they aren't in a training situation, we have to have the cards. Otherwise,

you're taking your release from the Canadian Forces.

If we're talking about a brigadier-general or major-general who is in Afghanistan after 2011, it's frankly very clear.

That person will have to, because if not, he wouldn't be in the Canadian Forces any longer. With such a program over time, we had to start somewhere.

Clearly, the intent was to begin with the leadership, to show the Canadian Forces that this is a leadership issue. It didn't start at the bottom with lower ranks; it started at the top. The policy is very clear that, par example come j'ai déja dit, for two stars, if you did not have CBC or do not by December 31, you will take your release from the Canadian Forces next summer.

On the flip side of the coin, it's [Inaudible--Editor], but, in my view, frankly,

it's an issue of leadership. The issue is about leadership, but the issue of being able to speak in both languages is an issue of leadership as well. That was the approach that was very much taken by the Chief of the Defence Staff after we discussed this, on reflection, that we expect leaders in the Canadian Forces to be not only comfortable but able to speak in both official languages. Pourquois? Because at the end of the day, you have both francophones and anglophones, and it goes both ways for our francophone officers. Some had to take the test, but they are able and competent to speak in both official languages. It's about leadership, which is why

we started with the leaders, the generals and admirals, then we'll continue with the colonels and navy captains.

We're probably going to go down to the lieutenant-colonel level parce que avec le plan, the official languages model, it is based on need, who needs it based on the leadership view.

So we started in that way, and with the non-commissioned officers,

with NCOs. We've put a target in place for 2011 for them as well, for chief warrant officers, both in the.... When I speak, it's not only for the army, it's for the entire Canadian Forces: navy, army, and air force.

[Jean-Claude D'Amours, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Thank you for your answer, General Semianiw. I don't know exactly how much time I have left.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

You have one minute left, Mr. D'Amours.

[Jean-Claude D'Amours, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

This is one of the elements. I hope that means that basic services, medical or other services, will always be offered in both official languages as well.

In the case of documents, whether it be training manuals or other documents, I can understand why, in some cases, these are original documents. However, when they are prepared by National Defence, are you going to ensure in future that all documents provided to our soldiers are always translated and offered directly, and that it won't be up to the members to ask for it to be done. Are you going to ensure that members will be able to have access to documents in the language of their choice?

[MGen W. Semianiw]

Merci, monsieur le président.

Clearly, are we where we want to be when it comes to translation? No. Are we better than we were last year? Yes, because we have provided additional money to be able to do the translation. But I agree with you, where we want to be is where every soldier has the training manuals in the language of his or her choice. That's where we're going to go and that's where we have to be. We've done a lot of that in Borden and at the recruit school, as you'll hear from the team, but there is still a way to go.

I would say to any member of the committee, you could probably find a textbook that perhaps has not yet been done, but as you'll hear from my team, we know we have a plan to do the translation in Borden.

First, we have a plan.

Next, you have to actually take the plan and put it into life. As we all know, vision without action is nothing more than hallucination, so in the end we need to take the plan and put it into action. You'll hear that from the team. I'm very proud of what they've done to do that.

It's a challenge

to be able to translate so many documents with still more to be done. More has been done, but we need to do more in the future.

You're right. Where we want to be is where it doesn't matter who you are, the manuals for instruction--for training--are in the language of your choice.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you, Mr. D'Amours.

Now we'll go to Mr. Nadeau.

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Good morning, Mr. Semianiw.

Mr. Meloche, good morning.

I'm pleased to give you the flag of your native city, general.

This is the second or third time we've met. At the time, the Minister of National Defence, Mr. O'Connor, came to present the Transformation Model to us, and there were a lot of questions. Light was also shed on the fact that a unilingual francophone military member had less chance of obtaining a senior rank in the armed forces than a unilingual anglophone. And thus an injustice was pointed out at the time.

Since then, I see that efforts have been made. As an example, there is the letter that you sent, which emphasizes that if senior officers do not have their CBC levels by December 31, 2009, they'll have to find another occupation. That's a measure that will have to be put in place, but I recognize the very good intention in that area. It could definitely be a model for the federal public service as a whole with regard to senior public servants. I'm also thinking of deputy ministers, who aren't required to be bilingual in Canada. However, that's another matter, and I'll talk about it on another occasion.

That said, the 2005-2006 report of the Commissioner of Official Languages stated that 41.8% of military members occupying bilingual positions for the purpose of service to the public met the linguistic requirements of their positions; that is to say that only 42% of bilingual positions were held by bilingual persons. Has the situation improved since that time?

[Col J.P.L. Meloche]

It must be clearly understood that the measurement system used for military members and the one used for public servants are different. We don't command individuals by position, but by unit. So if you calculate that one position equals one profile equals one person and that one plus one equals three and that results in a perfect mark, we don't operate like that.

The way we operate in the Canadian Forces is that the unit has to be able to provide the service. So the commander has to employ his resources appropriately in order to achieve that result. Let me give you an example. We have an orderly room, either at the Valcartier base in Quebec or in Edmonton, Alberta. All arrival and departure procedures must be accessible to military members in both official languages, but the 20 employees and members who are part of that orderly room don't need to be bilingual. We have to have a bilingual core so that we can provide the services. That core can change.

Members are transferred; they go and take courses. In this way, the commander has to be able to manage his bilingual resources—that's a way of speaking—to be able to provide the service. It is therefore very difficult for the Canadian Forces to issue figures. That's why we've developed a performance measurement system to really reflect our unique situation; that is to say that, under the National Defence Act, our people are managed in units, and not individually.

[MGen W. Semianiw]

I'd like to add one word, please.

In the letter concerning the policy on generals and admirals, one other thing is very important. Every year, there are promotion boards. What does that mean? In October and November, people

will sit down and determine who should be promoted for the following year, at every rank level. The process will be open, transparent, and based on a point system.

You get points for this and that. One thing is very important for the committee.

For bilingualism you receive five points, so when your file is in front of me or a member of the committee, you are automatically given five points if you have level CBC. You then multiply that by the number of members you have on a committee. That works out to 25. It makes a big difference already, without the policy, in who is going to be promoted in the future.

It's very important to know that.

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

Thank you.

If I understand correctly, if a service is requested, the colonel responsible will find someone from his unit to provide the service, if the person in place can't do it.

[Col J.P.L. Meloche]

That's correct. He employs the resources at his disposal.

With regard to the function designation project, during the year, members of my team toured the military bases. They spoke with the unit commanders so that they could determine local needs in order to come up with a kind of grid. With that, they're able to reassign people within their units or to negotiate with career managers so that bilingual people are transferred to their unit the following summer.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you very much, Mr. Nadeau.

Now we'll go to Mr. Godin.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thanks as well to the witnesses for appearing before the committee.

Let's go back to the five points issue because it's interesting. Let's say a person receives two out of five points. In the other areas, he's very good and receives five points in a number of areas. So it's possible for someone who isn't bilingual to be promoted as a result of the scores in the other areas. The person was good in other domains. We're talking about scoring. This isn't a bilingualism policy that provides that the person takes an exam and passes or fails. Bilingualism is part of the scoring like all other factors. As I see it, that individual can still be promoted if his total score is good, even if he hasn't been given any points for bilingualism.

[MGen W. Semianiw]

That's a good question. It's possible, but it's not the reality. Every year, for promotions to the rank of brigadier-general, there are 300 colonels and navy captains in the Canadian Forces.

Every year, those 300 have the opportunity to be promoted. When you look at the number of promotions, you see it may be 10 a year out of 300. The difference between number one and number ten on the list is maybe about half a point to one point. So those 25 points make a huge difference. If you look at the lists, in most cases this is what makes the difference. If you don't have it, you won't find yourself in the top 10.

That's the reality.

This becomes a challenge. All the men and women in the Canadian Forces know this is a policy, and it's why many have gone out on their own to do second language training, which I'm sure you're aware of. Within the top 10%, the top group, the difference is only one point, half a point. The 25 points you receive for bilingualism in any board already make the difference.

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

The current position of the Department of National Defence is that the leaders must be able to demonstrate to others that they are bilingual and that the example must come from above.

[MGen W. Semianiw]

That's true.

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

It's unfortunate that we don't do the same thing for the Supreme Court of Canada. There's a bill on that subject, but that's another matter.

The lack of manuals has also caused problems. At Borden, for example, there weren't any bilingual manuals. What's the situation regarding manuals?

[Col J.P.L. Meloche]

When—