ARCHIVED - RPP 2006-2007
Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages

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SECTION II - ANALYSIS OF PROGRAM ACTIVITIES BY STRATEGIC OUTCOME

Analysis by Program Activity

Strategic Outcome

• Compliance with and respect for the Official Languages Act by the federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act.

Achieving the organization's single Strategic Outcome extends beyond the reporting period of this report.

Program Activity Name: Investigations

Financial Resources ($ thousands)

2006-2007	2007-2008	2008-2009
8,909	8,937	8,937

Human Resources (Full-time equivalents [FTEs])

2006-2007	2007-2008	2008-2009
85	85	85

Investigations brings to the attention of federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act the need to develop sustainable solutions to issues relating to the implementation of the Official Languages Act. By investigating complaints, conducting audits and performance measurements and maintaining a working relationship with these institutions, OCOL reinforces and monitors compliance with the Act.

The Investigations activity includes the following three sub-activities:

1. Complaints, Investigations
   Receive complaints, undertake investigations on compliance to the Official Languages Act and make recommendations aimed at ensuring its respect by improving its acceptance and its implementation.
2. Audits
   In order to determine the extent to which the Official Languages Act is implemented in federal institutions and in other organizations that are subject to it, analyze their linguistic performance, carry out periodic monitoring, perform external audits and make recommendations to find solutions to systemic problems.
3. Legal Affairs
   Provide legal advice and legal analyses to support investigations. Represent the Commissioner in court proceedings commenced under Part X of the Act when such intervention is appropriate to ensure that institutions fully respect the Official Languages Act.

Program Activity Name: Policy and Communications

Financial Resources ($ thousands)

2006-2007	2007-2008	2008-2009
10,220	10,243	10,243

Human Resources (Full-time equivalents [FTEs])

2006-2007	2007-2008	2008-2009
79	79	79

Policy and Communications undertakes research and analysis to identify opportunities and implement strategies for influencing change among its stakeholders. It supports the work of parliamentary committees. It informs members of the public of the provisions and scope of the Act and on the role of the Commissioner.

Policy and Communications includes the following three sub-activities:

1. Policy, Research
   Conduct research and studies and undertake detailed analysis on policies with linguistic aspects. Explore the evolution and impact of socio-economic factors, such as Canadian demographics and current events, in order to provide strategic advice to the Commissioner and to inform the policy-making process. Act as a liaison with central agencies and national organizations, and with regional associations and communities of interest concerned with official language issues.
2. Communications
   Provide strategic communications advice to the Commissioner and undertake communications and outreach activities aimed at the public, parliamentarians, other stakeholders, and the media. Receive and manage information requests and provide information to the public on a wide variety of topics related to official languages using print and electronic means, as well as media relations.
3. Parliamentary Relations
   Provide ongoing support to the Commissioner, as an officer of Parliament, in her dealings with parliamentarians and parliamentary committees. Examine relevant bills in order to ensure that they reflect linguistic duality, and intervene if the need arises.

Priorities

OCOL will continue its commitment to making Canada an inclusive society where English and French are equally recognized and valued. We will encourage the government to ensure that linguistic duality and cultural diversity – both fundamental Canadian values – are given their proper space in the national policy agenda and receive the recognition they deserve.

In 2006–2007, the Commissioner and OCOL will undertake and carry out the activities described here as they pertain to each of the following four priorities:

1. Federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Official Languages Act respect the equality of English and French.
2. The vitality of the official language minority communities in Canada is enhanced in sectors affecting the communities' development.
3. The equality of English and French is recognized and fostered as a value in an increasingly diverse Canadian society.
4. OCOL develops and maintains an exemplary workplace and an effective and efficient management.

First strategic priority: Federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Official Languages Act respect the equality of English and French.

Achievement of the following results will be pursued in line with this priority:

• Services of equal quality are available in English and French.
• Measures are taken to establish a workplace that is conducive to effective use of English and French as language of work.

As linguistic ombudsman, the Commissioner will continue to receive and review complaints regarding the application of the Act, and will investigate and make recommendations where need be. She will seek leave to intervene in court cases, as she deems advisable, to ensure that official language rights are respected across Canada.

She will again urge the Government of Canada officials to attach more importance to bilingualism in the public service, within their respective institutions and other organizations subject to the Act, to recognize the right of Canadians to service of equal quality in both official languages and the right of their employees in bilingual regions to work in the official language of their choice.

OCOL will carry out audits and regular spot checks on the availability of services in both official languages. In addition, it will follow the progress of legislative amendments to the Air Canada  Public Participation Act to ensure that the traveling public and employees of Air Canada continue to benefit from the same level of language rights as they did prior to the restructuring of Air Canada. It is important that any bill introduced by the government clearly and specifically state the linguistic obligations of the various entities that were formerly operational divisions of Air Canada.

OCOL will follow up on an earlier audit carried out in 2004 on services to the public at bilingual postal outlets provided by the Canada Post Corporation, entitled: Audit of Canada Post Corporation Services to the Public at Bilingual Postal Outlets.

OCOL will initiate an audit with respect to the measures that a federal institution subject to the Act takes to create an appropriate workplace environment to encourage the effective use of the two official languages. The institution will be identified early in fiscal year 2006-2007. 

The Performance Report Card, a tool developed by OCOL in 2004-2005, highlights the performance of the Government of Canada departments and other organizations in complying with the Act. The Performance Report Card provides an easy-to-understand means of monitoring progress towards achieving the different objectives of the Act in such areas as the provision of services to the public in both official languages and the support for the vitality of official language minority communities. In addition to the 29 federal institutions currently covered by the Performance Report Card, three institutions will be added: Social Development Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation. OCOL will also be reviewing the leadership and coordination roles assumed by five organizations that play key roles in the governance of official languages: the Public Service Commission of Canada, the Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada, Canadian Heritage, the Official Languages Secretariat and Justice Canada.  

OCOL, as a follow-up to its study entitled: Bridging the Digital Divide: Official Languages on the Internet, will take steps to ensure that government Web sites and the initiatives of Government On-Line respect the spirit and the letter of the Act. For example, it will ensure that Human Resources and Skills Development Canada puts in place its three-year plan (2003-2006) as expected in order to correct problems in French language quality encountered with the automated translation system used to post documents on the Job Bank site. 

The Commissioner will continue to intervene as necessary before the Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada, the Canada School of the Public Service, and the Public Service Commission of Canada, to ensure that federal institutions implement new policies relating to official languages in communications with and services to the public in the most effective manner. As necessary, the Commissioner will make recommendations for changes if the policies do not achieve the principles of the Act.  

OCOL will undertake research projects in order to better identify the current and future issues related to the official languages program. OCOL will continue to examine the federal regulation for official languages in order to identify issues associated with the application of the Official Languages Regulations (Communications with and Services to the Public) and, on the other hand, to identify proposed changes that would support the right of the public to be served in the official language of its choice.  

The Commissioner will complete her review of the use of the two official languages in bilingual regions for language of work by means of a study in New Brunswick and will propose to the government a comprehensive intervention strategy to improve the situation, taking also into account previous studies in Quebec and in the National Capital Region. She will urge the government to adopt a policy that would maintain the language rights of employees when an organization subject to the Act that is located in a bilingual region moves to a non-bilingual region, and that would recognize the same right for new employees. 

Expected Results

• An increase in the use of both official languages by federal public servants, both in their place of work and in the provision of services to the public.
• Continued support for official bilingualism.
• Preservation of the availability of service in both official languages in the air transportation sector.

Second strategic priority: The vitality of the official language minority communities in Canada is enhanced in sectors affecting the communities' development.

Achievement of the following results will be pursued in line with this priority: 

• Federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Official Languages Act consider the needs of linguistic minority communities in the development and implementation of their strategic plans, policies and programs and are accountable for measures taken and results achieved.
• The federal government encourages and supports provincial and territorial governments in taking measures to enhance the vitality of linguistic minority communities.

With the adoption of the Act to Amend the Official Languages Act (promotion of English and French), which modifies Part VII of the Official Languages Act, it is now clear that federal institutions and other organizations subject to this Act have the duty to take positive measures to meet the government's commitment regarding the development and vitality of official language communities, as well as the promotion of linguistic duality. In order to ensure the full implementation of federal institutions' obligations under Part VII of the Act, the government will have to give them clear directions and set up a means of evaluating their success. OCOL will closely follow the government's actions in this area.

During the next year, federal institutions will become aware of their new obligations, and Canadian Heritage will play a central role in this respect. For its part OCOL, through its role of education and promotion, will be undertaking an awareness and information campaign directed toward community associations and federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act.

In addition, with respect to the government's Action Plan for Official Languages, the Commissioner will urge the government to move more quickly in areas where progress under the Action Plan has been too slow, and will encourage the government to clarify the responsibilities of ministers and key departments, to ensure a more coordinated implementation of the Action Plan.

The Commissioner will release the results of a study on the factors and indicators of the vitality of official language communities. OCOL, for its part, will contribute to the knowledge base that helps to guide action by governments, while supporting the communities in assuming greater responsibility for their own advancement. She will also examine the mechanisms for governance concerning the relationship between the Government of Canada and official language communities in order to ensure that the needs of these communities are taken into consideration during the development and implementation of policies and programs by federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act.

The Commissioner will encourage the federal Minister of Health to ensure that new federal-provincial-territorial health agreements incorporate provisions related to the provision of health services in the minority official language.

OCOL will collaborate with federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act, the various levels of government, and the official language minority communities across the country to promote the development of these communities in such important areas as immigration, education, justice and health.

With the ongoing support of its regional offices, OCOL will continue to encourage communities, as well as federal, provincial and territorial government departments and agencies, in networking and the sharing of best practices in an effort to work together towards the sustainability and vitality of official language minority communities.

As well, in the regions OCOL will pursue its proactive collaboration with the councils of senior federal officials. It will support the development of their leadership and will encourage activities to enable member organizations of the federal councils to meet their obligations under the Act.

Expected Results

• Greater recognition and understanding by institutions of their obligations related to official language minority communities and their needs.
• Positive steps are taken by federal institutions to sustain and enhance the vitality of official language minority communities.

Third strategic priority: The equality of English and French is recognized and fostered as a value in an increasingly diverse Canadian society.

Achievement of the following results will be pursued in line with this priority:

• Federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act integrate linguistic duality into the development and implementation of their policies and programs.
• There is sustained public support for linguistic duality as a value in Canadian society.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is identified as one of the federal institutions required to submit an annual action plan demonstrating how it will actively contribute to the development and vitality of official language minority communities, as well as promoting English and French in Canadian society. The Commissioner will ensure that the CRTC really takes into account the needs of the two official language communities in Canada through an audit of the relevant policies and practices in place.

In order to promote a greater recognition of linguistic duality, the Commissioner will urge the government to adopt a vision of the official languages program that takes into account the evolution of Canadian society and the international context. She will encourage the government to adopt an implementation strategy for this new vision so that Canadians may benefit from any advantages likely flowing from it.

The Commissioner will be interested in the impact that cultural institutions have on the development of the two linguistic communities and their reconciliation through a better mutual understanding.

Expected Results

• Enhanced commitment of federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act to incorporate linguistic duality into policies and programs.
• A growing understanding of the meaning and importance of linguistic duality on the part of Canadians.
• Over time, there is sustained support for linguistic duality among opinion leaders in Canada.

Fourth strategic priority: OCOL develops and maintains an exemplary workplace and an effective and efficient management.

Achievement of the following results will be pursued in line with this priority:

• A knowledge-based environment, where sound and clear leadership prevails, is being encouraged.
• Risk management is embedded into OCOL practices as part of modern management.

We exist to serve Parliament, and ultimately Canadians, and our ability to manage responsibly and efficiently in carrying out OCOL's mandate with a focus on achieving results is always at the heart of our daily activities. 

Under this priority, OCOL will continue to take measures to strengthen its management performance through its Results-based Management Accountability Framework. The work undertaken last fiscal year will continue in 2006-2007 in order to define and apply some performance indicators and methods for evaluating and auditing OCOL's activities.

OCOL, through its staffing management accountability framework, will follow up on its implementation of the Public Service Modernization Act. One of the ways to accomplish this will be active monitoring of staffing and classification initiatives.

OCOL will be a diversified and respectful work environment where employees can meet their full potential and pursue excellence.

OCOL will ensure sound management of information and technology by undertaking the second phase of its three-year Information Management and Information Technology (IM/IT) strategy.

Expected Results

• Rigorous management practices.
• A professional work environment in which staff is satisfied and motivated.
• Competent and able staff working to achieve OCOL's mandate.

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