Official Languages Committee on Dec. 7th, 2010

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Good morning, everybody.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108, following the report of the Commissioner of Official Languages, we're going to begin right away with the Canada Border Services Agency.

I would like to welcome our witnesses this morning.

This morning, we are pleased to be hearing from representatives of the Canada Border Services Agency.

Its president, Mr. Luc Portelance, is with us, as are the official languages champions, Ms. Camille Therriault-Power and Mr. Pierre Sabourin. Welcome to the committee. Without further ado, I invite you to make your opening remarks.

[Luc Portelance, President, Canada Border Services Agency]

Good morning. Mr. Chairman, committee members, first I would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to appear today on behalf of the Canada Border Services Agency.

My appointment to the position of President became effective on November 15. I'm honoured to accept this responsibility and excited to take up the challenge of shaping an organization that is still growing and developing.

Today, I would like to begin by acknowledging the findings of the 2009-2010 Official Languages Report, which highlighted areas for improvement in providing bilingual services to the public and promoting their use within the agency. I take the report seriously and am determined to move forward to address these issues.

Prior to receiving the report card, we engaged commissioner Fraser and his office to invite him to address our executive committee on November 25. Our executive committee met with Mr. Fraser and the discussion proved to be both informative and productive.

Two members of that committee are with me today: Camille Therriault-Power, vice-president, Human Resources Branch and Pierre Sabourin, vice-president, Operations Branch. These are the senior executives who will support me and the CBSA executive committee in ensuring that our official languages obligations are met.

I would like to begin my remarks by describing the role and work of the CBSA within the public safety portfolio. The CBSA is a relatively young organization, established in 2003 in the wake of the attacks of 9-11. It was created to provide integrated border services across the functions of customs; enforcement of immigration and refugee policy; and food, plant and animal inspection. In doing so, we administer over 90 acts on behalf of the government.

The result is a unique, amalgamated structure that combines a number of functions which protect our security and facilitate the flow of legitimate travellers and trade across our border. The CBSA will be proud to celebrate its seventh anniversary on December 2.

We were set up quickly and born into the most dynamic risk environment of our generation. Naturally, we gave priority to enhancing program delivery and optimizing the balance between public safety and the facilitation of international trade and travel.

Our mandate is exceedingly complex, including front-line service in an international and multilingual environment, and inland enforcement of Canada's immigration laws. As a matter of routine business, our officers, both on the front line and inland, encounter persons who speak neither French nor English.

As a major service organization and the first face of Canada at our ports of entry, we have multiple responsibilities related to enforcement and facilitation, and we have to meet those responsibilities in both official languages. Though we operate in a multilingual global environment, bilingualism is fundamental to our overall commitment to service excellence.

Recognizing the growing complexity of our operating environment and the consequences of getting our business right, last year we took stock of our organization and initiated a multi-year change agenda. This endeavour is aimed at putting in place the right organizational and governance structure to enable us to effectively deal with the complex and evolving threat and risk environment, increased traffic across the border, and the expectations of our clients, partners, and stakeholders.

From our organizational structure to how we perform all facets of our service, we intend to improve service delivery across our organization. This includes a core commitment to official languages and will afford us the opportunity to reinforce bilingualism as a key component of our services and in our places of work. The agency's motto is “Protection, Service, Integrity”. Our officers wear it on their sleeve. Our halls and offices are adorned with this message. Service is an essential part of our work, and bilingualism is central to that commitment.

While the commissioner's report shows we have work to do, the CBSA does have a significant track record to build on. I think of our experience in processing francophone evacuees and adopted children fleeing the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti. This work was undertaken at numerous ports, including Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal, and I am proud of our service to these families and individuals. It was a welcome and familiar response to people in distress.

I also think of the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games. I'm pleased to see that the official languages report acknowledges our efforts at this event, during which our performance left a positive impression on travellers. This was a high-profile international event and an exceptional opportunity for the CBSA to welcome the world to a bilingual Canada.

While the results of the commissioner's assessment were disappointing, I must stress that we're not here to contest a grade or argue methodology. What I believe is important today, for this committee and for the agency, is for me to assure you that we get it, we understand our responsibilities under the act, and we have a meaningful, realistic and achievable strategy to continually improve our official languages performance - incrementally, and on a sustained basis over time.

We have already taken immediate action in response to the report. I mentioned that we have engaged the commissioner and his office on several occasions. Informed by these discussions, we are developing an initial three-year action plan, which will form the cornerstone of our approach for moving forward and ensuring bilingual service on the front line, and robust use of both official languages within the CBSA.

As we work to improve our performance, we recognize that responsibility for official languages must cascade through an organization, from the deputy level to functional managers and their staff.

As president, I will do my best to ensure that my personal commitment to bilingualism is shared at every level of the organization. We are all responsible for providing leadership and ensuring that the work environment is conducive to the use of both official languages, as well as promoting linguistic duality in our daily activities.

In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, let me emphasize that the CBSA takes its obligations under the Official Languages Act very seriously.

We are committed to serving the public in both official languages. Likewise, we are committed to fostering a culture of bilingualism within the agency, which will create an environment where people can confidently and comfortably work in the official language of their choice.

With that, we now welcome your questions, Mr. Chairman.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you very much, Mr. Portelance.

Without further ado, I give the floor to Mrs. Zarac.

[Lise Zarac, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Good morning and welcome to our committee.

Mr. Portelance, you said you took up your position November 15. You must have felt a bit stressed when you read the report and saw that there was work ahead of you.

Is your action plan complete?

[Luc Portelance]

Our action plan is almost complete. We had some exhaustive internal consultations. Over the next few weeks, we have to meet with the representatives of our unions. We intend to have a final meeting of our executive committee on December 23. The document should be finalized very early in 2011.

[Lise Zarac, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard, QC]

When do you think you will forward it within the agency?

[Luc Portelance]

I would say very early in 2011. We have the communications plan, which was previously developed, a much more detailed strategic communications plan based on regional needs. As you will admit, in the case of an agency such as ours, we must address issues strategically, but we must especially target sectors that are a bit more of a problem.

[Lise Zarac, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard, QC]

It's good to have a communications plan; it's good first to have a plan; that's very important. You've previously had plans, except that what you were criticized for was for not measuring results, not having measurement tools in order to conduct follow-up. I hope this plan will contain detailed measurement instruments. Is that the case? Can we be sure there will be some?

[Luc Portelance]

Absolutely. I believe you're right about the criticism of our planning performance. That probably doesn't reflect the work done internally, and you're right: it doesn't reflect the rigour of the plan, especially with regard to control and supervision. We have quite a decentralized organization. The purpose of the transformation exercise I referred to is, through various services, to achieve greater standardization and better controls.

To answer your question, yes, the plan will contain quite a rigorous "oversight and follow-up" component.

[Lise Zarac, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard, QC]

And there will be follow-up.

[Luc Portelance]

Yes, absolutely.

[Lise Zarac, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard, QC]

Perfect.

I don't think you should wait for a report from the Commissioner of Official Languages; you must ensure you have an internal complaint mechanism. Under your plan, will you facilitate receipt of complaints and subsequent action? What process have you put in place to handle complaints?

[Luc Portelance]

You're right. Some of the complaints we receive are forwarded to the Commissioner of Official Languages, while others come directly to us internally. So we already have a complaint handling system. Most of the complaints are more related to more overall service.

In January and February, we will step up our efforts to address the handling of complaints, especially so we can distinguish among the various types of complaints. There was a challenge: we knew the number of complaints we were receiving, but no distinction was being drawn among the various subjects. We will identify the various subjects of complaints and clearly identify those related to official languages. We will especially do a better job of sorting and ensure better reporting so that we can try to determine where we have more problems that are more serious than others. With 1,200 service points and 120 border crossings, we don't have the same problems everywhere. Our objective is really to focus on the places presenting us with the biggest challenges.

[Lise Zarac, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard, QC]

So you intend to prepare specific reports on your complaints and to categorize them.

[Luc Portelance]

Absolutely, yes.

[Lise Zarac, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard, QC]

I congratulate you on that because one of the solutions for ensuring good service is to identify current complaints and to address them. We know perfectly well that a complaint filed represents a lot of complaints that aren't.

I'd like to talk about human resources. Have you audited your bilingual positions? Have you recently audited your bilingual positions again? Are there any positions that are not designated bilingual but that should be? Have you conducted that exercise recently?

[Luc Portelance]

I can make a few comments, and Ms. Therriault-Power can add to them.

The answer is yes. That's a job that's being done on a regular basis, but I must admit that, after the report was prepared, we reviewed the distribution of bilingual positions, especially at the senior executive level, management and so on, and even for our border services officers. I believe there are probably a few adjustments to make, but we're generally in good shape.

Ms. Therriault-Power, do you want to say anything?

[Camille Therriault-Power, Vice-President, Human Resources Branch, Canada Border Services Agency]

I believe that representation among our executives is good. We are complying with the acts and policies regarding linguistic profiles and incumbents of positions who meet those requirements. As regards the report card received from Mr. Fraser—

[Lise Zarac, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard, QC]

That's why I'm asking you the question. If the positions that should be designated bilingual are, how do you explain that so many employees have complained that they were unable to work in their language?

[Camille Therriault-Power]

In fact, we need more leadership, communication, supervision and performance management in this respect. Our senior executives' performance agreements currently state that they must discharge their official languages obligations in a proactive manner. The idea now is to review that and to make sure we're doing that from time to time.

[Lise Zarac, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard, QC]

Do you mean that's stated on their list of responsibilities?

[Camille Therriault-Power]

That's correct.

[Lise Zarac, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard, QC]

Do you have annual performance reports for those senior executives?

[Camille Therriault-Power]

That's the case.

[Lise Zarac, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard, QC]

Is that part of one of the objectives they have to achieve?