Evidence of meeting #54 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 employees.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Chief Operating Officer, Senior Associate Deputy Minister of the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development, Service Canada
Thank you, Ms. Guay. I do not know which statement you are referring to.
Chief Operating Officer, Senior Associate Deputy Minister of the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development, Service Canada
No. I am referring to this statement you mentioned, that was made by an official in the region who contradicted my statement. I do not know what you are referring to.
Bloc
Monique Guay Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Yes. it was in your statement that you said the four Atlantic provinces were unilingual.
Chief Operating Officer, Senior Associate Deputy Minister of the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development, Service Canada
That is right. And in fact, it was my...
Bloc
Monique Guay Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
You are saying that the New Brunswick region does not report to Halifax. That is what you just said.
Chief Operating Officer, Senior Associate Deputy Minister of the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development, Service Canada
Yes.
Chief Operating Officer, Senior Associate Deputy Minister of the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development, Service Canada
New Brunswick does not...
Chief Operating Officer, Senior Associate Deputy Minister of the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development, Service Canada
What I was trying to explain to you is that we have senior positions located in all provinces. Ten of them are in New Brunswick. Some of the people holding these positions report to people who are also in New Brunswick. We have a type of decentralized management system.
Bloc
Monique Guay Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Then why create the Atlantic region and include New Brunswick in it if this province does not have to report to the Atlantic region? It makes no sense. Please explain.
Chief Operating Officer, Senior Associate Deputy Minister of the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development, Service Canada
We have a structure that covers the four Atlantic provinces. There are four business lines and fields of work within Service Canada. We have officials for each of these work lines, business lines. Some of them are located in New Brunswick. Some in Newfoundland. Some in Nova Scotia. That is what I meant by decentralized.
Bloc
Monique Guay Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
But it is not decentralized. You have just told us that the four provinces now comprise the Atlantic administrative region. You refer to decentralization and then you say the opposite. What you are telling us now makes no sense. And you are telling me that New Brunswick reports to New Brunswick. Come on! That makes no sense.
Chief Operating Officer, Senior Associate Deputy Minister of the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development, Service Canada
We have...
Bloc
Monique Guay Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
You just created a region called the Atlantic, which New Brunswick is a part of. It's as though you were telling me that these people report to themselves.
Chief Operating Officer, Senior Associate Deputy Minister of the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development, Service Canada
I am sorry that it is so difficult to explain this to you. We have four provinces.
Chief Operating Officer, Senior Associate Deputy Minister of the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development, Service Canada
We are not organized on a provincial basis. That may be the easiest way to explain it. However, we have senior positions in the four provinces and we ensure respect for official languages in terms of language of work and within all channels of supervision we set up.
Bloc
Monique Guay Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Ms. Forand, I do not have much time left. I have colleagues from New Brunswick who still have many questions to ask you. I simply want to say this: we have our eye on you and are not going to drop this issue. One thing is certain, we are not satisfied. I can say that for the Bloc Québécois, at the very least. Again today, your responses only lead to confusion. We do not understand a thing here. Go back to the drawing board and do your homework. You will then be able to appear before us again as soon as possible to provide us with real answers.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Mauril Bélanger
Thank you, Ms. Guay.
There are 30 seconds left. Did you want to respond, Ms. Forand?
Chief Operating Officer, Senior Associate Deputy Minister of the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development, Service Canada
Simply to say that I am prepared to do anything I can to provide a clear explanation as to how Service Canada as an agency works, regarding existing positions, who reports to whom, etc. I would very much appreciate an opportunity to do so clearly.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Mauril Bélanger
I get the impression that you will get that opportunity. In the meantime, perhaps you could send us a detailed organizational chart for your department.
Chief Operating Officer, Senior Associate Deputy Minister of the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development, Service Canada
With pleasure, Mr. Chairman.