Official Languages committee  I came to Ottawa in 1969. At the time, the example you mentioned occurred quite frequently. There were always blockages at one level of management or another. As you indicated, a French-language memo did not make it all the way to the top. I have not spent my entire career in Ottawa, but when I returned five years ago I did notice a marked change in the city as well as within the Department of Industry.

Official Languages committee  No. The department has always had champions who are very familiar with the act, all the more so because we are also responsible for FedNor, which is responsible for economic development in Northern Ontario. In fact, minority language communities are well represented in that part of the province.

Official Languages committee  In May.

Official Languages committee  That is correct.

Official Languages committee  Yes.

Official Languages committee  Yes.

Official Languages committee  Pardon?

Official Languages committee  I would say that it is due to a series of factors. The first factor is the integrated report. We received an "A" in the previous report. We submitted more or less the same thing, and we were told that we now needed an integrated report for the department. The evaluation criteria have become somewhat more rigorous.

Official Languages committee  As I said, our department developed the Filter and it was adopted by other departments. It is an analysis tool for determining how the concerns and perspectives of official language minority communities should be taken into account in programming. In one of the programs that we developed, we gave schools recommissioned computers.

Official Languages committee  I don't look at offers of employment very often, but I will ask that question of my colleague, who is director of human resources. As I said, 60% of positions require competency. So perhaps my colleague can explain.

Official Languages committee  It is a departmental plan for parts IV, V, VI and VII.

Official Languages committee  Yes. Our rating fell from "A" to "B". I have been told that this is largely attributable to the fact that we do not have an integrated plan for the department. My colleague Bill James and I are in the process of developing that plan. I have seen a first draft of the plan, which should be completed in May.

Official Languages committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I am accompanied today, on my right, by my colleague, Mr. Davies, Assistant Deputy Minister for Industry Canada's Regional Operations Sector. He is responsible for part VII of the Official Languages Act, as well as being Official Languages Champion.

Industry committee  Let me give you an example of the use of this instrument. Technology Partnerships Canada makes reimbursements into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Canada, but through this instrument, a part of the money goes to the assistance program for the aeronautics industry. This program receives appropriations which are, on the one hand, reimbursements from the previous program and on the other hand, parts of the consolidated fund.

Industry committee  Would you like to show the documents?