Official Languages Committee on Feb. 9th, 2017

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Thank you, Mr. Généreux.

We'll now move on to Mr. Lefebvre.

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Thank you.

First, Minister Foote, thank you for listening to the proceedings of the Standing Committee on Official Languages and for following the work done by our team.

In your remarks, you said that eight measures would be taken to improve things, and these measures are in line with our recommendations. Thank you very much. We're very proud to see our team and the minister's office working together.

Previously, the committee was told that quality was no longer important, but that price mattered. From the outset, the entire team understood that this wasn't working. I was therefore very pleased to hear you talk about these new measures.

We submitted a report following our study. Initially, we weren't satisfied with the first response provided. We wondered what was going on.

What made you change your mind and respond now to our recommendations by proposing these measures?

[Judy Foote, Liberal, Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, NL]

Thank you for the question.

In responding to the report, we could have elaborated a bit more than we did, certainly in recognizing all the work that had been done by the committee. I think that was a shortcoming on our part. It was really important to let you know what measures were ongoing in the Translation Bureau. I think the report itself, the response to the report, while it stated what things were happening in the Bureau, I don't think it went far enough. It wasn't thorough enough in terms of allowing you to understand the work that had been done.

Having said that, I really appreciated the feedback from the committee, because in reading your feedback and recognizing that, there are other things that can be done. Your efforts in conjunction with the ongoing efforts of the Bureau—but your efforts—and in being engaged as much as you were, enabled us to look at other opportunities and other things we could do. There was the idea, for instance, of writing to Minister Brison to ask that the use of the Translation Bureau be made mandatory. For the things that came out of your concerns, we were able to take positive measures as a result of them.

Thank you.

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Thank you.

I also see in your answers to the report that you will be hiring 50 students each year. I'm wondering what measures the department is looking at putting in place to make this happen. How will this be done across the country?

[Judy Foote, Liberal, Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, NL]

I can certainly get Adam to elaborate on that, but let me say that this is a measure near and dear to my heart. I think it's really important, as someone who is learning the language, to make sure that we provide opportunities for students. For students who already know the language or are learning the language, I think it's really important that we engage them as well.

We are looking regionally. I've mentioned some of the universities that have expressed interest in the co-op program. There are others. We're working very closely with them, and in different areas of the country where we know that we have had representation from those areas. As well, of course, we have a couple of our bases where bilingualism is really important.

It's based on quality, and I'm going to allow Adam to elaborate in terms of how students who you know—who anyone on the committee may know—may be able to take advantage of this opportunity.

[Adam Gibson, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Translation Bureau, Department of Public Works and Government Services]

I'll add a little more precision. We've already done a call-out to essentially all of the different linguistic schools across the country that we work with regularly, to any that have an actual translation program. This is why we have some early feedback. We know that a number of universities—we expect all—will be interested.

Then, through our planning process, we essentially reprioritize how we're managing our forward planning to make sure that we actually are encompassing students in our forward plan. We talk about the next five years. This is just a good thing in general. I think that beyond five years, we should be doing this. It's just part of our regular process of having fresh blood always coming in and making sure we're contributing to the overall program.

The only other thing I would mention is that it links very solidly with our regional presence as well. We have a number of regional offices directly in the cities where these schools are located, so students don't necessarily have to move to have these jobs and so we will be hiring in local areas as well.

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

That's excellent news. We must ensure the sustainability of the Translation Bureau, an international leader.

The direction it was heading worried many people. I want to congratulate you for reviewing the policy and reinvesting in the sustainability of the Translation Bureau and interpreters. The Bureau is a leader in the field across the globe. I applaud you for the reinvestment. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Thank you, Mr. Lefebvre.

Mr. Choquette, you have the floor.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Minister Foote, I also you want to thank you for this new response. Honestly, your first response was very disappointing. Your latest response was much better. I certainly would have liked it to come earlier, but we're happy nonetheless.

Minister Foote, as demonstrated by the many letters that I've received and by certain studies that were conducted, the atmosphere at the Translation Bureau isn't good. One of them indicates that the Bureau is among the worst workplaces in the public service at this time. Therefore, there's a major problem.

You said 12 people were hired this year. However, 400 positions have been eliminated in the past four years. By 2017 or 2018, 140 more positions will be vacant. So 12 people out of 500 is really a drop in the bucket.

Is there a desire to make the work atmosphere pleasant again and to ease the enormous pressure on the interpreters and translators? This desire could be demonstrated by hiring a significant number of people, because 12 people isn't enough.

[Judy Foote, Liberal, Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, NL]

It is as you say. A quarter of the workforce was lost from the Translation Bureau, which is way too many. Obviously that is going to have an impact on those who remain. If you don't see an infusion of new talent and new people coming into your fold, that has an impact on morale as well, because you wonder if it will go by the wayside.

The reality is that we've hired 19 people this year. Contrary to what would have happened if we hadn't hired the 19 people this year, the plan was to lose another 30-odd positions, so we have reversed that trend. It is a trend that I'm happy to reverse given my commitment to bilingualism and this government's commitment to quality and to bilingualism.

We are looking at the needs and, as I said initially, one of the things I've done is to write to Minister Brison to ask that use of the Translation Bureau be mandatory. Quality is what's really important to us here, so we are focusing on that. We are working closely with the employees. I know that my deputy has reached out to the employees, and Adam has as well. Again, that's to make sure we understand what their concerns are, what their issues are, and how we can deal with those, because we want to have a happy, productive workforce, particularly in the Translation Bureau.

As you say, the demands are great, and we want to make sure that in responding to those they feel comfortable that they have the time to do what needs to be done to ensure that the work they do is quality work.

Thank you for the question.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Minister Foote, I understand what you're saying. There was talk of 140 vacant positions by 2017 or 2018. Will you at least fill those 140 positions, which will become vacant through attrition? Can you confirm this?

[Judy Foote, Liberal, Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, NL]

I'm going to ask my deputy to talk about the plan that we put in place with respect to that.

[Marie Lemay]

Thank you.

As Minister Foote said, we've reversed the trend. A new era has started for the Translation Bureau. The work environment and volume are completely different. You heard the minister say she wanted quality to be the Bureau's key priority.

The recruitment of the Bureau's new CEO will be very important. We'll ask the CEO to properly determine, in the current environment, the number of people needed and the related figures. At this time, I can't give you specific figures, but we were clearly told that it was a new era and that changes would be made.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Thank you, Ms. Lemay.

Minister Foote, you spoke to Scott Brison, president of the Treasury Board, to determine whether the Translation Bureau's services would continue to be optional or whether they should be mandatory again.

When can we expect an answer? How much time does the Treasury Board have to submit its recommendation?

[Judy Foote, Liberal, Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, NL]

I wrote to Minister Brison. I'm giving him some time, obviously. I have not heard back from him. The letter would have gone out only maybe a week ago. We need to give him some time.

Again, I would point out—and I don't need to to this to my colleague because he knows—that as a government we see it as our job to promote, protect, and defend bilingualism. We need to take whatever measures we can to do that.

What I am asking him would be one of many measures that we're implementing. In terms of a timeframe, I don't have that for you. I can tell you that we're all wedded to the same idea as a government and as cabinet ministers, which is that we need to do everything we can to ensure the quality of the services coming out of our government. Certainly, we have a role to promote and defend.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Thank you, Mr. Choquette.

Thank you for your responses, Minister Foote.

We'll now move on to Darrell Samson.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister Foote.

I have to say this in English to start off, because I had a dream.... If I'd had a dream last night and I'd been dreaming about translation and the Translation Bureau, this would have been my dream.

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[Judy Foote, Liberal, Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, NL]

Thank you.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

Minister Foote, I'd like to say that, as a member, today I feel even more engaged in the democratic process. I always take risks in life, and I'll take another risk by saying the following. Our committee met with witnesses who spoke about an extremely important and fundamental subject for democracy, namely, bilingualism and the Official Languages Act. All members around this table, as politicians, have had the chance to reflect, play a key role and make recommendations. As you know, things don't always go as planned. In this case, your leadership is the fruit of our labour. Our work consisted of fuelling the debate. Your work consisted of taking the information that came out of the debate, analyzing it, interpreting it, incorporating it and making a difference for Canadians. To do so, there's no better time than the 150th anniversary.

I see Ms. Boucher is already starting to cry.

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

Two aspects are crucial.

I feel strongly about quality. It's critical to conduct an analysis to ensure the quality is high enough to provide the service. I applaud you for this.

I also feel strongly about interpreters. If they can translate the words of an Acadian from Nova Scotia like me, with the person's emotions and energy, they must be very good. It's hard work, and I applaud them for it each time.

I used to be the superintendent of all French-language schools in Nova Scotia. I feel very strongly about education and youth. I'm talking about the youth of today and not the youth of tomorrow. The initiative you implemented regarding the 50 youth, but also the training of interpreters and the engagement of several Canadian universities are all measures that show exceptional leadership. Thank you for this. We're in the process of ensuring success for many years to come, in particular for the 200th anniversary. Most of you will no longer be here, but I plan on being here.

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

Oh! The chair of the committee is indulgent with me.

I want to ask you two questions.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Go ahead, Mr. Samson.