Evidence of meeting #40 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.
10:20 a.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Human Resources Branch, Department of Public Works and Government Services
No, no; it's more like 1,200.
10:20 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Deputy Receiver General for Canada, Department of Public Works and Government Services
No.
10:20 a.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Human Resources Branch, Department of Public Works and Government Services
I would say that about 75% of them are bilingual.
10:20 a.m.
Bloc
10:20 a.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Human Resources Branch, Department of Public Works and Government Services
I wanted to talk about the exchange program. Right now we are launching a pilot project involving exchanges between the regions and headquarters. In a year from now perhaps, we will be in a position to tell you whether it worked or not. We are actually launching a skills enrichment program.
10:20 a.m.
Conservative
10:20 a.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Welcome to the committee. You are the person I want to congratulate this morning. The fact is that you and your team received an “A”. You are one of the rare deputy ministers to have received an “A” in their departmental report, and I think it's important to underscore that.
On the other hand, one report was not prepared because of the Olympic Games, is that correct?
10:20 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Deputy Receiver General for Canada, Department of Public Works and Government Services
You refer to the Olympic Games--
10:20 a.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
It relates to an evaluation of objectives. This is what it says:
Expected results: The Canadian population has access to bilingual, high-quality communications from the Government of Canada. Performance indicators: Percentage of sampled communications that meet quality standards. Objectives: Quality reference established on March 31, 2010; initial results expected by March 31, 2011.
It also says that some data were not available. Then it goes on to say:
Performance summary: The project to develop a method for assessing the quality of communications in the federal government had to be carried over to the following fiscal year because of a change in operational priorities resulting from the need to provide translation and interpretation services for the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Vancouver.
10:20 a.m.
Francine Kennedy Chief Executive Officer, Translation Bureau, Department of Public Works and Government Services
I can answer that. This was one of the Translation Bureau's projects that was carried over. We wanted to conduct a sampling of all our translations to get an idea of the levels of quality. We did do some sampling, but we wanted to go a little further. However, because our expertise was required for the translation of documents and other materials for the Olympic Games, we postponed the project somewhat, but we will be going ahead with it.
10:20 a.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
You sit on a committee that includes several deputy ministers, do you not?
10:20 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Deputy Receiver General for Canada, Department of Public Works and Government Services
I'm a member of several different deputy minister committees, yes.
10:20 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Deputy Receiver General for Canada, Department of Public Works and Government Services
Well, I've never counted, but there are a number of them.
10:20 a.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Do you talk about official languages at those committee meetings?
10:20 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Deputy Receiver General for Canada, Department of Public Works and Government Services
Yes, we do. I sit on the Senior Officials Committee chaired by the Clerk of the Privy Council which is responsible for succession planning, if you will, at the deputy minister and associate deputy minister levels. We have discussed official languages. Every time that official languages--
10:20 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Deputy Receiver General for Canada, Department of Public Works and Government Services
No, there are no reports. Often these discussions are intended to determine whether there is an issue that needs to be resolved and whether there are potential solutions. People attend the meetings, take notes, do the necessary follow-up and ensure that what needs to be done gets done.
10:25 a.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
So, you talk about it, but are there any actual commitments made afterwards? There have to be, because things are not all that rosy in every single department.
10:25 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Deputy Receiver General for Canada, Department of Public Works and Government Services
I'm thinking of both this committee and others as well. I also sit on the Deputy Ministers Committee on Public Service Renewal. There we talk about bilingualism, and we talk about the importance of the French fact and the English fact in Canada. Commitments are translated into action by means of commitments related to public service renewal. Departmental commitments come under four pillars.
10:25 a.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Some budgets have been frozen. Is that having a detrimental effect on official languages?
10:25 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Deputy Receiver General for Canada, Department of Public Works and Government Services
No. As far as I'm concerned, official languages do not correspond to a specific program. In our department, it is a way of operating. I obviously have projects, but they are not affected by budget reductions. It's important to keep them in place. It is also a whole way of working within the department. Our department is made up of 50% Francophones and 50% Anglophones. There are a lot of Francophones on my management committee.
10:25 a.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
I've heard Francophones who work for the federal government say that they had no opportunity to take English courses even though French courses were being offered to Anglophones. Do you encounter that kind of problem in your department?
