Management

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

The roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders are clearly identified in Cross-cutting Principles Underlying the SC Approach to Human Resources Development, distributed to all employees. An action plan that covers overall responsibilities was developed in consultation with management while taking government priorities into account.

SC examines the achievement of the Official Languages Program (OLP) during its biennial program review; the strategic orientation and client satisfaction are reviewed during the quadrennial program review.

b) Visibility of official languages in the organization

SC reflects the OLP objectives in its Human Resources Strategy. The official languages (OL) objectives are not in the Report on Plans and Priorities but are mentioned in the Performance Report. The OLP's management matrix ensures maximum visibility and integration of OL objectives. An OL Committee reports every three months to the senior Human Resources Development Committee, on which the Chief Statistician sits. Additionally, the internal reports prepared by each division make reference to HR and to OL. There are periodic internal audits.

There are regular communications between the champion, the OL officer, the OL Committee and the officer responsible for Part VII of the Official Languages Act (OLA). The champion is a member of the Executive Committee and OL are regularly discussed at that committee.

c) Complaints

There are very few complaints lodged with the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages. Complaints are received by an advisor from the Official Languages and Translation Division and responsible managers are involved in finding solutions and in taking the required corrective measures. Lessons learned are shared in order to prevent similar complaints in the future.

During the 2001 Census, the Institution concluded an agreement with the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages that facilitated co-operation and allowed for efficient and rapid resolution of complaints.

Service to the public - Part IV

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

All information of general interest is distributed free of charge in both OL and the nine bilingual service centres are identified in Burolis and in the Blue Pages. The interviewers, the main point of contact between SC and the general public, must provide an active offer of service, as indicated in the training manual.

As of March 31, 2004, the Position and Classification Information System (PCIS) indicated that 83.3% of incumbents of bilingual positions serving the public met the linguistic requirements of their position.

b) Findings on active offer and service delivery

According to observations on in-person service made by the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages in the fall of 2004, active visual offer was present in 87.5% of cases; active offer by staff was made in 25.0% of cases, while service in the language of the minority was adequate in 87.5% of cases.

The results of the telephone service audit conducted by the Public Service Human Resources Management Agency showed that active offer was made by staff 100% of the time, and on telephone answering systems 100% of the time, while the service was actually provided in both OL in 88.2% of cases.

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

A standard language clause is included in all contracts, which are awarded by a centralized process, and in partnership agreements. There are few contracts. Verifications are made by the Material Services and Contracts section.

d) Bilingual services quality monitoring

The Communications Division controls the production and dissemination of information to the public and to employees. All new supervisors must follow the orientation program, which contains an OL component.

Client service standards are in place and client satisfaction is measured by a questionnaire in the quality assurance framework. A monthly newsletter is distributed to all staff; it frequently contains reminders on language rights and obligations.

Language of work - Part V

a) Adequate bilingual supervision and language of work policy

Data obtained from the Position and Classification Information System (PCIS) as of March 31, 2004 indicate that 77.0% of supervisors in bilingual positions in bilingual regions meet the linguistic profile required for their position and 88.7% of EXs who are required to be bilingual meet the linguistic profile of their positions.

The Institution has an official languages policy that covers in detail language of work issues. There are support measures such as a terminology bank, writing assistance and linguistic consultations, language training and an official languages guide. SC has also developed a repertoire of models of bilingual e-mails covering routine situations that is accessible to all personnel. In addition, SC offers workshops on language of work (300 participants a year).

b) Use of each language in the workplace

Information concerning language of work is given to employees during practical workshops and in the context of the Supervisor Development Program.

Control is done through follow-ups to the Public Service-Wide Employee Survey and by internal surveys, as well as through the monitoring done by the OL Coordinators.

Meetings of the Executive Committee are held in both official languages; the minutes are posted on the Intranet in both OL. Staff members make presentations in the language of their choice and are strongly encouraged to do so in French.

The results of the 2002 Public Service Employee Survey showed that 79.6% of Francophone respondents of the bilingual regions of Ontario, the NCR and New Brunswick, and 49.4% of Anglophone respondents of Quebec did "strongly agree" or "mostly agree" with the language of work regime.

Equitable participation - Part VI

a) Percentage of Francophone participation throughout Canada

According to data from the Position and Classification Information System (PCIS) as of March 31, 2004, 41.0% of all SC employees were Francophones.

b) Percentage of Anglophone participation in Quebec

According to data from the Position and Classification Information System (PCIS) as of March 31, 2004, there were no Anglophone employees in Quebec.

Development of minority language 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

SC is aware of the needs of the minority language communities and regularly consults representatives of minority groups to find out what their priority needs are in terms of data. SC provides data that supports the communities and is a member of Canadian Heritage's Interdepartmental Research Group on OL.

There is an internal committee that revises all statistical surveys to ensure that they take into account the development of official language minorities.

SC ensures the consolidation and improved sharing of data on linguistic minorities among the key divisions in which the surveys of interest to these minority communities are developed (Committee on Statistical Information on OL Minorities).

SC takes account of the specific needs of the minority language communities, in particular by asking its interviewers to pay attention to certain indicators, such as the language children play in, to determine clients' preferred language for interaction.

SC has created new partnerships with other departments to fund the over-sampling of OL minorities in order to estimate with greater precision the characteristics of minority groups and the publication of studies of particular interest to the communities.

SC ensures the purchases of time and space take account of the minority press; all advertising goes through the office of a single person.

Employees are informed of the needs of official language minorities; training on section 41 of the Official Languages Act was offered. Managers are made aware of the requirements of OL minorities when statistical surveys are planned.

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

SC's strategy is to set an example by taking proactive measures. The internal committee that revises all statistical surveys ensures that such surveys take into account linguistic duality and promote both official languages.

Before each census, SC consults linguistic minority groups concerning the questions relating to linguistic characteristics. The Department is one of the participants on the interdepartmental committee chaired by Canadian Heritage.

The institution promotes linguistic duality by holding activities for its staff during la Semaine de la Francophonie. SC promotes linguistic duality through numerous presentations as an expert on language statistics to various orders of government and academic groups and through the distribution of documents free of charge, in particular Profile of languages in Canada, Use of French and English at Work, and Canadian Community Health Survey.

OVERALL RATING