Official Languages Committee on May 31st, 2012

[Marc Tremblay]

Yes, of course. When we look at the reports that are submitted to us, we see that a management committee or inter-sectoral committee on official languages is a best practice. It raises the profile of official languages and makes it possible to establish plans to address certain aspects that, according to the annual reports and other performance measures, should be improved.

There are very concrete measures. I can think of video campaigns that have been conducted or competitions involving employees to show their commitment and to increase their pride in linguistic duality. There are also celebrations for Linguistic Duality Day, which was introduced by our network of official languages champions. That day is now celebrated throughout the public service every year.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

I note from the report that there are approximately 12,000 offices and points of service, but that only 4,000 of them have an obligation to offer bilingual services to the public. In the other 8,000 offices, which are not responsible for offering bilingual services, are measures nevertheless being taken to encourage bilingualism?

[Marc Tremblay]

I can speak to that.

A basic distinction has to be drawn between the obligation to serve the public in both official languages where those offices are established and the regions that are designated bilingual for language-of-work purposes. The two do not always coincide. In the regional offices and regional federal councils, there are all kinds of activities that extend beyond the mere context of language of work, as determined by the requirements of the act, since we want to supervise, encourage and stimulate employees who are required to offer service in both official languages and who have a pronounced interest in learning their second language. So, yes, measures are being taken, particularly with regard to the regional federal councils.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

All right, thank you.

I have another question, which again concerns part V of the Official Languages Act. With respect to the implementation of that part, the Treasury Board is responsible for ensuring that public servants are able to work in the language of their choice.

What tools and mechanisms are certain institutions using to maintain a working environment conducive to the use of both official languages?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

As I previously said, it is important to note that every department has an obligation to find ways to reinforce its role under the Official Languages Act. Management is involved in each obligation.

Perhaps Ms. Meredith can add a few words.

[Daphne Meredith]

We have approaches for employees. I talked about the language buddy system. There are various learning methods. We encourage the use of both languages at meetings with employees. We also have examples of practices, such as having an official language committee or a champion in the departments to promote best practices. I believe we have noted a few tools that we encourage people to use in the departments.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Trottier.

Mr. Weston, you have five minutes.

[John Weston, Conservative, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I want to welcome our minister. Saturday will be the first national health day. I would like to congratulate the minister, who is a role model because he is really in good shape.

I would also like to welcome you, Ms. Meredith, and your sister, who comes from Vancouver—my part of the country—and who is well established in British Columbia.

Minister, I would like to ask you some questions on part IV of the act.

The annual report provides us with an overview of the major official languages successes the government has had. More specifically, it states that the majority of institutions have taken effective measures to ensure they provide the public with services in both languages.

Can you explain some of the institutions' achievements in the implementation of part IV of the act, which concerns communications with and services to the public in both official languages?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Thank you for your question.

Incidentally, I lost my squash match this morning.

It's not a good day for me when it comes to fitness and health. I didn't quite meet my targets on the squash court, but it's nice to know that we're meeting some targets with respect to this annual report. Certainly my colleagues here who are in the public service have, I'm sure, some wonderful examples of great success in our offices. But certainly from my perspective as a minister and as President of the Treasury Board, I think we do our job very well for the citizens of our country.

They know that we have these obligations. We for the most part meet these obligations. And I think it's the role of Monsieur Dion and Monsieur Godin and others to focus on where we don't meet these obligations, and that's fair. But the fact of the matter is, day in, day out, much more often than not, we meet those obligations. I think it's important for Canadians to know that. I think it's improving as well.

I think we're creating an atmosphere within our offices where our expectations are being met and they're being celebrated. And through our tools that are available electronically now, we have a greater way of sharing success, sharing the tools that work and making sure that the oversight is there.

That's my general overview. Maybe Daphne or Marc can add to that.

[Daphne Meredith]

We have explained our methods for evaluating the institutions' communications with and services to the public. We also have activities, and the institutions have theirs. For example, they may include putting in place an official languages action plan, regularly discussing official languages issues at regular and senior management meetings, or ensuring that the official languages champions and representatives meet regularly.

I am thinking of the Desrochers or CALDECH affair—

[John Weston, Conservative, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

I'm going to interrupt, Madam Meredith, because my time is so short.

I'm just wondering, on the international level, when you meet your counterparts, Minister, do you ever get comments about how unique it is that you are dealing in the two languages and how successful our country is in managing that challenge?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

I think Minister Moore could better answer that question, because he does meet his counterparts on those issues, and we obviously have representation at the Francophonie, for instance. My counterparts internationally are more involved in budgets and those kinds of things, so typically we don't talk about official languages.

[John Weston, Conservative, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

Okay.

[Marc Tremblay]

I might just add one point of interest.

We do have the Sri Lankan delegation coming to Ottawa this week. They're meeting the Commissioner of Official Languages, our colleagues at Canadian Heritage, the Public Service Commission, and ourselves. They're very interested in the success stories of the Canadian experience and applying the lessons learned over the past 40 years to their own unique circumstances, where they think they can benefit from our experience.

That happens quite regularly. I've had occasion to go to Belfast to meet with the Northern Irland people, who are also quite interested in our models.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you.

[John Weston, Conservative, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Tremblay.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you very much.

Monsieur Dionne Labelle.

[Pierre Dionne Labelle, NDP, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Good morning, madam and gentlemen.

I am going to draw a parallel between various facts that I have retained. In 2006-2007, the Centre of Excellence for Official Languages had 74 employees. Now it has 20 or so as a result of the idea that the departments are now accountable for the role they must play in protecting and advancing official languages in the machinery of government, the institutions of government. At the same time, you say in your annual report that only a small number of those institutions are conducting audits. Departments and institutions are asked to show more discipline and to conduct follow-up and analyses of performance in promoting the official languages. However, you yourselves have none on the official languages question in your Report on Plan and Priorities.

Isn't a bit of magical thinking involved in this way of believing that the departments will do the work, whereas you yourselves are not doing it and not even including it in your priorities?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Thank you, sir.

As I previously said, the primary obligation is to ensure that we have tools in every department to encourage and promote bilingualism. Those tools must be able to be shared with the departments. That is a role provided for under the Official Languages Act. There is a very important function involved in encouraging people working in the public service to learn the other official language. That is a key role. There are ways to encourage that participation.

[Pierre Dionne Labelle, NDP, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

You say that only a small number are doing that, that you expect this torch to be taken up within the departments. It seems that your approach is not working, doesn't it?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

No, as I previously said, that is the role of every department, but there are tools that we have used to encourage, promote and say that there are obligations. That is easier with today's electronic tools. Social media, for example, are tools that we can use.

[Pierre Dionne Labelle, NDP, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

There are a lot of tools, but the departments are apparently not using them. Only a small number of them are using them.

Another aspect of this is that cuts are being made virtually everywhere, and we do not know whether official languages are being taken into account in those cuts in the various departments. There have been cuts in Quebec, as we have seen, including those affecting the Marine Rescue Centre.

Have any directives been issued to reflect the impact of the budget cuts on official languages?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Let me be clear: there are obligations under the Official Languages Act regarding the advancement and use of the two official languages. This is a statutory obligation. No budget cuts can affect that obligation.

I can assure you that nothing we do in our budgeting can detract meaningfully from that obligation. We have that obligation. So when we did our budgetary reviews, we were very mindful—

[Pierre Dionne Labelle, NDP, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

So directives to that effect were given to the departments at the time of the cuts.

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Every department has an obligation to implement the Official Languages Act. That is what has been done.