ARCHIVED - List of Recommendations
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The observations resulting from this study of linguistic duality in Canada’s international relations have led the Commissioner to recommend that:
1. The Department of Foreign Affairs ensure that its forthcoming audit of the Public Diplomacy Program include a comprehensive assessment of the program’s contribution to linguistic duality in Canada’s international relations.
2. While fully respecting the principle of academic freedom, the Department of Foreign Affairs include Canada’s linguistic duality as a topic of interest in the application forms for the Canadian Studies Faculty Research Program, and that it do so in time for the program’s 2004 applications.
3. The Department of Foreign Affairs take steps, by December 31, 2005, to ensure that all international Canadian studies programs apply to all parts of Canada and both Anglophone and Francophone populations.
4.The Department of Foreign Affairs, in partnership with Canadian Heritage, take the necessary steps by March 31, 2005, enabling the Government of Canada to seek membership in the Latin Union.
5. The Department of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with Canadian Heritage, develop, by December 31, 2004, internal communication strategies to enhance understanding of linguistic duality’s pertinence to our cultural diversity and to related government initiatives.
6. The Department of Foreign Affairs revise, by December 31, 2004, eligibility criteria for its Francophonie Promotion Fund to include projects aimed at improving links with, and awareness within, Canada’s Anglophone population.
7. a) Canadian Heritage develop and implement, by December 31, 2004, a campaign aimed at promoting TV5 within Canada’s Anglophone community; and
7. b) Actively encourage the involvement and participation of more provinces and territories, notably Ontario, in the Canadian contribution to TV5 programming and financing.
8. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Canadian Heritage use the results of the current review of Canadian participation in Francophonie institutions to ensure that Canada’s Francophone community is fully reflected and represented.
9. a) As part of the federal government’s cultural diversity agenda, Canadian Heritage, in cooperation with the Department of Foreign Affairs and other responsible departments and provincial governments, pursue the implementation of all outstanding resolutions and recommendations on cultural diversity within the Organization of American States since the 2001 Quebec City Summit; and
9. b) Take the necessary steps by December 31, 2004, in collaboration with other member states of the OAS, to fully integrate linguistic diversity in the mandate of the Institute for Connectivity of the Americas.
10. By December 31, 2004, the Department of Foreign Affairs review the impact on Canada’s Francophone community of the English-only language policy of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and the effectiveness of existing communication efforts.
11. For each trade mission, the Department of Foreign Affairs remind participating departments and agencies of their responsibility to ensure that the linguistic rights of private sector participants are respected at all times.
12. The Department of International Trade review, by December 31, 2004, its priorities to ensure they fully incorporate and reflect linguistic duality, and that it modify programs accordingly, including those related to trade missions.
13. a) The Department of Foreign Affairs take steps, by December 31, 2004, to expand Canadian participation in annual celebrations of La Francophonie around the world; and
13. b) Review the enhanced representation initiative in the United States to ensure that linguistic duality is effectively integrated in the priorities and operations of new and upgraded missions in that country.
14. The Department of Foreign Affairs review, by December 31, 2004, existing monitoring mechanisms for Canadian studies activities at the mission level with a view to enhancing their effectiveness and encouraging, where needed, a proactive approach consistent with Canada’s linguistic duality.
15. The Department of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with the Department of International Trade and Canadian Heritage, develop an action plan by December 31, 2004, designed to ensure closer integration of the cultural and commercial activities of our diplomatic missions.
16. a) The Department of Foreign Affairs take immediate steps to ensure bilingual capability and active offer within the consular affairs sections of all diplomatic missions; and
16. b) Establish, by December 31, 2004, an effective mechanism for regularly monitoring bilingual service availability and capacity within these sections.
17. The Department of Foreign Affairs revise, by December 31, 2004, provisions contained in its Official Languages Policy governing the language of publications with a view to ensuring that Canada’s bilingual image is fully reflected at all times, and ensure that Canada’s diplomatic missions are provided with adequate tools and financial resources to meet the requirements.
18. The Department of Foreign Affairs take steps, by December 31, 2004, to ensure that security services at all Canadian diplomatic missions are actively offered and immediately available in both official languages.
19. The Department of Foreign Affairs adopt, by December 31, 2004, a comprehensive program of support for ensuring adequate bilingual capacity among locally engaged employees at all diplomatic missions. This program should include appropriate guidelines, resources and direct assistance.
20. The Department of Foreign Affairs develop, by December 31, 2004, a strategy for assisting rotational staff in maintaining second-language skills.
21. The Privy Council Office and the departments of Foreign Affairs and International Trade each take steps, within their respective areas of responsibility, to ensure that future appointments to Canada’s most senior representative positions abroad meet the “CBC” requirement, or a comparable level, for second-language skills.
22. The Department of Foreign Affairs take steps, by December 31, 2004, to better incorporate understanding of Canada’s linguistic duality in professional training programs for locally engaged staff.
23. The Department of Foreign Affairs review its network of official languages champions in diplomatic missions and establish, by December 31, 2004, means of enhancing their effectiveness in promoting linguistic duality, including the adoption of official languages objectives at each mission.
24. The Department of Foreign Affairs revise, by December 31, 2004, its audit and evaluation processes to include policy and program effectiveness in integrating linguistic duality at all levels of operations, including missions.
25. The Department of Foreign Affairs, as the lead department in the international policy review under way at the time of the study, ensure that, in the development of a new international policy, projection of Canada’s linguistic duality is recognized as a government priority and effectively integrated in all other priorities.
