Management

a) An accountability framework, an action plan and accountability mechanisms are in place (5%)

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has an official languages accountability framework. Accountability extends to all levels of the Department and covers Parts IV, V, VI and VII of the Official Languages Act (the Act). The framework sets out the role and responsibilities of assistant deputy ministers, directors general and all managers. It is posted on the CIC's official languages (OL) Web site and also applies to employees.

The Department's 2005-2008 Action Plan (Parts IV, V, VI) was approved by the Executive Committee. Further, CIC annually develops an action plan and a status report on the Implementation of Section 41 of the Act. The progress report identifies the measures taken to meet the objectives, the progress made, the objectives that have been met and the results obtained. Accountability is also achieved through the following means: management agreements, PeopleSoft reports, reports from the Position and Classification Information System (PCIS), monitoring of branches subject to official languages (OL) complaints, and the review of linguistic profiles that is currently underway in the Department.

b) Visibility of official languages in the organization (5%)

The Department's 2004-2005 Performance Report mentions CIC's efforts to promote the economic development of official language minority communities. The 2005-2006 Report on Plans and Priorities contains references to OL and OL minorities.

The management framework encompasses linguistic profiles, language training and staffing monitoring. CIC is implementing a national audit program of staffing activities based on the merit principle and the performance indicators set out in its Agreement on the Delegation of Staffing Authority and Accountability.

According to the terms of the Human Resources Signing Authority Instrument, managers are held accountable for all decisions, in accordance with their delegated authority.

The CIC Management Committee discusses and approves strategies and action plans related to official languages. The OL champion is a member of all CIC management tables. As a director general, the functional authority sits on the CIC Management Committee.

CIC has developed a Strategic Framework for Promoting Immigration in Minority Francophone Communities.

c) Complaints (5%)

Managers are directly involved in problem solving, in accordance with the CIC Official Languages Accountability Framework and the CIC/OCOL Co-operation Agreement.

OL representatives (corporate and regional) hold monthly teleconferences to discuss new information, best practices and complaints received, in order to learn from mistakes. There are no other formal mechanisms in place to build on lessons learned.

The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages (OCOL) has not identified any systemic problem.

Service to the public - Part IV

a) Bilingual services advertised to the public and sufficient bilingual staff (4%)

CIC's bilingual offices are listed in BUROLIS, and the Blue Pages contain a 1-888 number that offers bilingual service.

In offices that are designated bilingual for service to the public, signs, posters and other written notices are in both official languages and visible to the general public. The Treasury Board symbol is displayed in offices designated bilingual. The voice messaging systems are bilingual.

88% of incumbents of bilingual positions serving the public meet the language requirements of their position. (Source: PCIS, March 31, 2005)

b) Findings on active offer and service delivery (15%)

According to the observations of in-person service made by OCOL in the fall of 2005, active visual offer was present in 83% of cases, active offer by staff was made in 25% of cases, while service in the language of the linguistic minority was adequate in 67% of cases.

According to the observations of service on the telephone made by OCOL in the fall of 2005, active offer of service by staff or by an automated system was made in 93% of cases, while service in the language of the linguistic minority was adequate in 86% of cases.

c) The service agreements delivered by third parties or in partnership provide for the delivery of bilingual services (2%)

In contribution agreements made under the settlement and resettlement programs, official languages clauses (clauses 5.4 and 5.5) were added to clarify the obligations of service providers regarding service to the public. The Department developed guidelines to assist local offices in selecting service providers who will provide settlement and resettlement services in both OL. Tools have also been distributed to service providers to support them in promoting services in both OL. No examples of monitoring mechanisms for third party services were provided.

d) Bilingual services quality monitoring (4%)

The Department distributes newsletters to all employees to remind them of their OL obligations and commitments. Regions produce a regional newsletter. Orientation sessions (Welcome to CIC) for employees include a component on OL. Managers are required to ensure that clients can be served in the official language of their choice at designated offices.

There is no formal structure for measuring the quality of bilingual services. However, periodic audits are conducted in British Columbia and the Yukon to assess the availability of services in both OL. Corrective measures are taken, if necessary.

As a result of complaints and comments from employees and managers concerning the acquisition, retention and use of the second official language, CIC developed a Management Framework for the Review of Linguistic Profiles and a Management Framework for Language Training. The frameworks will enable CIC to continue its efforts to ensure that the rights of its clients and employees are respected.

Language of work - Part V

a) Adequate bilingual supervision and language of work policy (12.5%)

76% of EX incumbents and 88% of supervisors in bilingual positions in bilingual regions meet the language requirements of their position. (Source: PCIS, March 31, 2005)

CIC's OL management framework covers language of work. The Department has also adopted a Management Framework for Language Training. Over the next few years, CIC will make language training more accessible to employees and will put in place measures to ensure that employees maintain their second language. Further, the Management Framework for the Review of Linguistic Profiles will enable CIC to meet the statutory language requirements and take measures to strengthen its linguistic capacity and optimize use of the two OL.

Staff is encouraged to acquire new language skills and maintain their proficiency through various reference tools, including the Termium terminology bank, subscriptions to French-language newspapers and publications, and other office applications. Learning tools are also available at learning centres, among them French self-instruction CD-ROMs, videos, cassettes and books.

b) Establishment of an environment conducive to both official languages (12.5%)

Managers also encourage participants attending meetings to communicate in their official language of choice. Meetings and conference calls are therefore conducted in both OL. Management meetings are also held in both OL.

A three-year Quality Management System pilot project was undertaken last year to improve compliance with language of work requirements between national headquarters and the Quebec region. The project is designed to improve the quality of bilingual communication between the Quebec region and national headquarters and also to create an environment conducive to use of both OL. The quality management project also allows employees to report cases of non-compliance.

Equitable participation - Part VI

a) Percentage of Francophone participation throughout Canada (5%)

Francophones account for 29.5% of the CIC workforce as a whole. (Source: PCIS, March 31, 2005)

b) Percentage of Anglophone participation in Quebec (5%)

Anglophones account for 14% of the CIC workforce in Quebec. (Source: PCIS, March 31, 2005)

Development of official language minority communities and promotion of linguistic duality - Part VII

a) Strategic planning and the development of policies and programs take into account the development of minority language communities (12.5%)

In accordance with its 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 Action Plan for the Implementation of Section 41 of the Act, CIC is committed to ensuring that strategic planning and the development of policies and programs take into account the development of minority language communities.

The Citizenship and Immigration Canada-Francophone Minority Communities Steering Committee (CIC-FMC), along with its regional agencies, provides direct access to French-speaking minority communities. The Committee is co-chaired by one community representative and the CIC Associate Deputy Minister. In April 2004, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration announced that the Steering Committee's term would be renewed for two years, from April 2004 to March 2006. Membership in the Committee was broadened to include new members from the community and to allow government partners to become full members if they so choose. An Alberta steering sub-committee, made up of the CIC Regional Director General, Francophone community representatives and other federal and provincial partners was established.

The report Towards Building a Canadian Francophonie of Tomorrow: Summary of Initiatives 2002-2006 to Foster Immigration to Francophone Minority Communities was released on March 30, 2005. News releases and other products related to the publication of Toward Building a Canadian Francophonie of Tomorrow were prepared in cooperation with the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada (FCFA) [Federation of Francophone and Acadian communities] and the Privy Council Office. Products for the awareness tours abroad were also developed with partners.

Memoranda to Cabinet and Treasury Board submissions must consider the development of official language minority communities.

With respect to the use of news media serving minority language groups, CIC complies with the current Communications Policy of the Government of Canada. The CIC Communications Directorate has already taken several measures to meet the needs of official language minority communities and to target the news organizations serving official language minority communities. These news organizations receive many CIC products, such as media advisories, press releases, and information documents.

Further to a recommendation by OCOL, CIC developed Web pages to promote French-speaking minority communities to employees and potential immigrants abroad. Profiles of eight French-speaking minority communities will be added to these Web pages.

b) Strategic planning and the development of policies and programs take into account the promotion of linguistic duality (12.5%)

In its 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 Action Plan for the Implementation of Section 41 of the Act, CIC set out measures that it intended to take to promote linguistic duality in Canada.

There are official languages clauses in contribution agreements made under the settlement and resettlement programs requiring service providers to organize activities, projects and programs to meet the needs of both official language communities.

Web pages that provide information on minority Francophone communities and reflect Canada's linguistic duality have been added to CIC's Web site.

The Department takes advantage of Citizenship and Heritage Week to promote linguistic duality. CIC encourages citizenship judges to speak in both official languages at citizenship and reaffirmation-of citizenship ceremonies. The Department provides the necessary tools for these ceremonies.

OVERALL RATING