Factors and Criteria

Summary of Substantiating Data

Rating

Management (15%)

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

Currently, Passport Canada does not have an accountability framework or action plan for official languages (OL). However, the institution has begun preparing these two documents and will be implementing them in 2008–2009 once they are approved by the Executive Committee.

The responsibilities for Parts IV and V of the Official Languages Act (the Act)are described in a framework document that does not specify the coordination mechanisms or how those responsible are held accountable. However, a guide for managers and employees specifies the OL responsibilities under all parts of the Act.

The institution measures how well its objectives have been met in terms of OL by regularly analyzing the data from the Human Resources Information System (HRIS). Discrepancies are brought to the attention of the regional directors and progress reports are issued every two or three months. The OL situation is also discussed with both the Management Committee and the Operations Committee, which is responsible for services to the public as a whole. Furthermore, the appropriate director is required to approve all requests for changes to linguistic profiles and the Deputy Minister at Foreign Affairs and International Trade is required to approve all requests for the non-imperative appointments of executive directors (EX).

D

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

Passport Canada’s 2005–2008 Corporate Business Plan deals with accessible and equitable services for Canadians, the improvement of client services, enhanced compliance, increased service standards and an approach based on client satisfaction; this includes, but does not specifically mention, OL. OL are not included in the 2005–2006 Annual Report or in the 2006–2009 Corporate Plan.

The institution does not publish its own performance report or a report on plans and priorities. Instead, information on Passport Canada is incorporated into the reports of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. OL are not mentioned in the 2007–2008 Report on Plans and Priorities.

Passport Canada’s internal audits do not include OL. However, the institution conducts regular surveys to assess client satisfaction with its services. These surveys help identify gaps in the language of service to the public.

The Executive Committee and the Operations Committee, which is responsible for all services to the public, discuss the OL situation. The OL Champion is also a director general and sits on the Executive Committee.

The person responsible for OL, including all parts of the Act, reports directly to the Champion. They meet weekly in order to encourage dialogue on this subject.

C

(c) Complaints and follow-up
(5%)

A mechanism is in place to ensure that complaints are addressed. Complaints are first received by the person responsible for OL, who then forwards a copy to the appropriate regional directors and managers who, in turn, must find lasting solutions.

More substantial complaints are forwarded to management. A monthly complaints report is issued to the regional directors in an effort to keep them informed of the subject of these complaints and the solutions chosen to resolve them. The report thus provides an opportunity to share corrective measures and lessons learned.

A

Subtotal:

B

Service to the public—Part IV (25%)

(a) Bilingual services advertised to the public and sufficient bilingual staff (3%)

Bilingual service locations are listed in Burolis, which is updated annually, and in the blue pages of telephone directories.

In total, 93% of employees in bilingual positions serving the public meet the language requirements of their position (Source: Position and Classification Information System [PCIS], March 31, 2007).

B

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

According to observations of service in person made by the Office of the Commissioner between mid-June and mid-July 2007, an active visual offer was present in 100% of cases, an active offer by staff was made in 20% of cases, and service in the language of the linguistic minority was adequate in 93% of cases.

According to observations of service on the telephone made by the Office of the Commissioner between mid-June and mid-July 2007, an active offer by staff or by an automated system was made in 100% of cases, while service in the language of the linguistic minority was adequate in 100% of cases.

B

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

Service agreements contain a clause that provides for the delivery of services in both OL. This includes agreements with Public Works and Government Services Canada for commissionaire services and with Canada Post for receiving agents. The Canada Post agreement provides for a fine if service is not available in both OL where required.

Client satisfaction surveys are used for monitoring purposes.

B

(d) Policy on service to the public and bilingual services quality monitoring
(5%)

Although it does not have its own policy on service to the public, the institution uses the Policy on Services to the Public of the Canada Public Service Agency (CPSA).

Information on obligations in terms of service to the public is included in the new welcome kit included in the new employees’ orientation program, which was launched in early 2007.

Regional directors use briefing sessions to remind employees who serve the public of their obligations in this area.

Results of the annual client satisfaction survey allow Passport Canada to monitor, among other things, client satisfaction with the use of the official language of their choice. These results are used as a control mechanism and are discussed at length by the Executive Committee.  

B

Subtotal:

B

Language of
work—Part V (25%)

(a) Language of work policy and adequate bilingual supervision (12.5%)

Passport Canada does not have its own language of work policy. Instead, it uses the CPSA’s policy on language of work.

Information on language of work is included in the welcome kit for the new employees’ orientation program, which has been available since early 2007, as well as in the manager’s guide that accompanies this kit.

With regard to language of work, measures have been put in place to promote the use of both OL in bilingual regions. For example, all employees who successfully complete their mandatory language training receive a certificate signed by the ning are awarerengual regions for the purposes of the language of work. passport Canada, which measures, among Chief Executive Officer. In the Ontario region, an introductory French-as-a-second-language course is offered to employees working in bilingual regions and a task force was created to study OL and security-related issues. In bilingual regions, the person responsible for OL monitors e-mail messages sent to a broad range of recipients in order to identify violations. Action is taken in cases where it appears that the employees’ right to work in the official language of their choice is not being respected.

In total, 94% of executives holding bilingual positions are bilingual, while 87% of supervisors in bilingual regions meet the requirements of their respective positions (Source: PCIS, March 31, 2007).

B

(b) Use of each official language in the workplace (12.5%)

No reminders are issued to managers or employees by Passport Canada regarding language of work and no specific mechanism exists to monitor the application of the language of work policy. However, the institution is currently verifying how the language profiles for positions are determined.

Executive Committee meetings are held in both OL.
The survey conducted by Statistics Canada on behalf of the Office of the Commissioner showed that, overall, 93% of Anglophone respondents in the Quebec region “strongly agreed” or “mostly agreed” with the language of work regime. Due to the small number of Francophone respondents in the National Capital Region, New Brunswick and the bilingual regions of Ontario, the survey results for this group were not included.

C

Subtotal: 

C

Equitable participation—Part VI (10%)

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

Overall, the workforce is 38.1% Francophone (Source: PCIS, March 31, 2007).

B

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

In Quebec, the workforce is 31% Anglophone (Source: PCIS, March 31, 2007).

B

Subtotal:

B

Development of official language minority communities and promotion of linguistic duality—Part VII (25%)

No permanent mechanism exists at Passport Canada to ensure that official language minority communities (OLMCs) are included in its strategic planning and policy and program development. The institution has not designated a person responsible for OLMCs or set up a committee for the implementation of Part VII. In addition, the organization has not identified anyone to liaise with key stakeholders, including OLMCs.

Senior management has not been made aware of the needs of OLMCs or the requirement to promote linguistic duality. Moreover, there is no mechanism in place to ensure ongoing awareness. However, employees are informed during orientation sessions of the need to offer service in the official language chosen by the client, which includes members of OLMCs.

The institution has not begun reviewing its policies and programs to determine those that could have an impact on OLMCs and has not taken positive measures to foster the development of these communities and promote linguistic duality.

(a) Development of official language minority communities (12.5%)

One of Passport Canada’s objectives is to increase its clients’ access to its services, thereby ensuring it does not hinder OLMC development. As a result, when changes to its services are planned and consultation is necessary, Passport Canada makes sure that it consults with all affected clients, which includes OLMCs.

Passport Canada has begun to develop an action plan and criteria to take over the passport clinics currently being run by third parties across Canada. Taking over these clinics will allow the institution to directly target OLMCs by organizing sessions in their communities and by advertising these sessions in newspapers of the official language minority. 

D

(b) Promotion of linguistic duality (12.5%)

Passport Canada considers linguistic duality to be implicit in all its activities. It ensures that clerks, examiners and agents who process passport applications promote the institution’s bilingual character, which includes making an active offer of bilingual services and displaying bilingual signage. For example, Passport Canada informs its employees of the need to offer service in the official language chosen by its clients, which includes members of OLMCs.

The language and cultural exchange project for examiners and the action plan for setting up passport clinics are two examples of the institution’s promotion of linguistic duality. The language and cultural exchange program is offered to examiners from various regions (e.g., Quebec and Alberta) so they can increase their confidence in using their second official language, use workplace-specific terminology and experience a different culture. Passport Canada is currently working on an action plan to implement passport clinics across the country, including in OLMCs.

D

Subtotal: 

D

OVERALL RATING

C