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Section II – Analysis of Program Activities

2.1 Strategic Outcome

OCOL's work focuses on attaining its single strategic outcome. OCOL plays a leading role in encouraging federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Official Languages Act to protect and respect the language rights of Canadians through their policies and programs. OCOL also influences other stakeholders contributing to the promotion of linguistic duality in our society. While OCOL has a unique role to play in ensuring compliance with the Act, it is nonetheless one of several federal players with responsibilities related for achieving the objectives, spirit and intent of the Act. 

The performance indicators set out below are intended to measure OCOL's identifiable progress towards its strategic outcome through the Commissioner's influence as an officer of Parliament. With reliable information on the impact of its interventions, OCOL can ascertain which actions should be pursued and which should be changed to be even more effective in its efforts.

OCOL is in the process of reviewing its performance measurement framework implementation strategy. In 2009–2010, a number of measurement instruments were designed, based upon which baseline data is being collected. Following this review, OCOL will be in a position to realign its reporting requirements and set appropriate and meaningful performance targets. OCOL will start measuring its actual performance in certain areas of the organization in 2010–2011. Full implementation is expected in 2011–2012.

Strategic Outcome	Performance Indicators
Canadians' rights under the Official Languages Act are protected and respected by federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act, and linguistic duality is promoted in Canadian society.	Extent to which recommendations (made through audits, investigations, annual reports) are implemented within two years after their tabling. Frequency and impact of opportunities used by OCOL to promote linguistic duality.
Performance Measurement Strategy
Follow-up and analysis of responses of federal institutions and organizations to the recommendations. Tracking and analysis of selected promotional activities (including speeches, symposia and information sessions), appearances before parliamentary committees and meetings with parliamentarians.

OCOL's Program Activity Architecture (PAA) is designed to help it attain its strategic outcome. The following sub-sections describe the three program activities in OCOL's PAA and identify the expected results, performance indicators and performance measurement strategy for each one. These sub-sections also present the financial and human resources that will be dedicated to each program activity over the next three years; explain how OCOL will achieve the expected results while also working on corporate priorities; and articulate the benefits of each program activity for Canadians.

2.2 Program Activity 1: Protection Through Compliance Assurance

Activity Description

Through this program activity, OCOL investigates complaints filed by citizens who believe their language rights have not been respected, evaluates compliance with the Official Languages Act by federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act through performance measurements and audits, and intervenes proactively to prevent non-compliance with the Act. As well, OCOL may intervene before the courts in cases that deal with non-compliance with the Act.

Program Activity 1: Protection Through Compliance Assurance
Expected Results	Performance Indicators (Performance Measurement Strategy)
Canadians receive timely and appropriate responses to their complaints, requests for intervention and inquiries.	Percentage of OCOL responses to complaints, requests for interventions and inquiries delivered as per service standards. (Statistics on response time.)
	Quality of the investigation process. (Review and analysis of sample investigation files)
Federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Official Languages Act are fully aware of the extent of their linguistic compliance and what they need to do to fulfill their obligations under the Act.	Extent to which investigation, audit and annual report recommendations are implemented within two years after their tabling. (Follow-up and analysis of the responses received from federal institutions and organizations to investigation recommendations; follow-up audit reports and files.)
	Extent to which interventions led to improvements in the official languages practices of targeted federal institutions within two years of the intervention. (Follow-up and analysis of the official languages practices in targeted federal institutions through: quarterly reports to institutions, performance report cards, interventions' correspondence.)

 

Planned Resources	2010–2011	2011–2012	2012–2013
Financial Resources ($000)	6,858	6,870	6,870
Human Resources (FTEs)	68.0	68.0	68.0

Planning Highlights for this Program Activity

Over the next three years, and more particularly in 2010–2011, OCOL will pursue the above expected results and work on the three corporate operational priorities (presented in Section 1.2 of this Report) through activities such as the following:

Raising awareness among federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act of the skills required for integrating linguistic duality as an important element of leadership in order to, among other things, create a workplace conducive to the use of both official languages:

• Conducting a follow-up of the audit regarding language of work at the Department of National Defence Headquarters.
• Through performance report cards, analyzing the performance of certain federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act in terms of efforts made regarding language of work.

Working with federal institutions, especially those serving the travelling public, so they will actively offer their services in both official languages:

• Conducting a “service to the public” audit of Air Canada.
• Analyzing the performance of certain federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act, namely those that serve the travelling public, in terms of efforts undertaken regarding service to the public, through such methods as performance report cards.

Verifying and examining the extent to which federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act take into account the needs of official language communities when developing and implementing their policies and programs and delivering their services; and intervening with federal institutions:

• Analyzing the performance of certain federal institutions in terms of measures taken to address the needs of official language communities when developing programs and delivering services, through such methods as performance report cards.
• Conducting a “service to the public” audit of Service Canada to determine the extent to which this institution takes into account the needs of official language minority communities when delivering services.
• Conducting an audit of Industry Canada to review the extent to which this institution takes into account the needs of official language communities when developing and implementing its programs.

Reporting to Parliament on how official languages and linguistic duality will have been handled during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in order to improve the travelling public's experience during other international events and to leave Canadians with a permanent official languages legacy:

• Publishing a follow-up report on how well linguistic duality is reflected during the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
• Appearing before the House of Commons and Senate standing committees on official languages.

Intervening before the courts to ensure that the Official Languages Act and the provisions of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms pertaining to official languages are respected and ensure a consistent interpretation of language rights that is compatible with the preservation and development of the country's official language minority communities:

• Using the Commissioner's power to appeal to the Federal Court, pursuant to Part X of the Act, to clarify the scope and application of the Act where systemic or important compliance issues remain unresolved through the main complaint resolution process.
• Promoting full compliance to the letter and spirit of the Act in line with the interpretation principles articulated by the Supreme Court of Canada and other Canadian courts, in particular in the VIA Rail and DesRochers decisions.
• Exploring ways to maximize the use and efficiency of the powers conferred to the Commissioner pursuant to Part X of the Act in order to achieve results for all Canadians by reviewing current practices.

Benefits of this Program Activity for Canadians

The program activity of Protection Through Compliance Assurance provides Canadians with a mechanism for recourse when they feel their language rights have been violated, and increases awareness within federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act of areas where greater efforts are required to more fully respect the letter and spirit of the Official Languages Act.

2.3 Program Activity 2: Promotion Through Policy and Communications

Activity Description

Through this program activity, OCOL works with parliamentarians, federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Official Languages Act, official language communities and the Canadian public in promoting linguistic duality. OCOL builds links between federal institutions, official language communities and the different levels of government to help them better understand the needs of official language communities, the importance of bilingualism and the value of respecting Canada's linguistic duality. In order to fulfill its promotion role, OCOL conducts research, studies and public awareness activities as well as intervenes with senior federal officials so that they instill a change in culture to fully integrate linguistic duality in their organizations.

Program Activity 2: Promotion Through Policy and Communications
Expected Results	Performance Indicators (Performance Measurement Strategy)
Parliament receives useful advice and information about the official languages implications of evolving legislation, regulations and policies.	Impact of the Commissioner's interventions on the formulation of evolving legislation, regulations and policies (through appearances to parliamentary committees and other representations with parliamentarians). (Content analysis of: (i) parliamentary committee reports, transcripts and Hansards; (ii) draft versus final bills to determine whether the Commissioner's interventions were considered.)
The public, official language minority communities, the media and federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act have access to information and tools to understand official language rights and obligations and the importance of linguistic duality in Canada.	Reach to, and/or feedback from: the public, official language minority communities, the media and those subject to the Act about the information and tools provided and/or made available by OCOL. [Tracking and analysis of reach and feedback from selected interactions (speeches, regional liaison with official language communities, federal institutions, seminars at conferences, participation at federal councils, correspondence) with the public, official language minority communities, the media and those subject to the Act.] (Tracking and analysis of reach and/or feedback from the distribution of publications through statistics on distribution downloads of publications as well as from OCOL's booths at events.) (Review of the number and range of inquiries and correspondence with the public.)
Canadian public policy is influenced by research and analyses on language rights and linguistic duality issues.	Key public stakeholders have had access to, and considered, the OCOL research and analyses in their policy making. (Tracking of feedback from key stakeholders and content analysis of a selection of study recommendations and formal letters to government officials to see how they influenced government policies.)

 

Planned Resources	2010–2011	2011–2012	2012–2013
Financial Resources ($000)	7,407	7,419	7,419
Human Resources (FTEs)	55.0	55.0	55.0

Planning Highlights for this Program Activity

Over the next three years, and more particularly in 2010–2011, OCOL will pursue these expected results and support its three corporate operational priorities (presented in Section 1.2 of this Report) through activities such as the following:

Raising awareness among federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act of the skills required for integrating linguistic duality as an important element of leadership in order to, among other things, create a workplace conducive to the use of both official languages:

• Conducting a study to identify behaviour that fosters a workplace conducive to the use of both official languages.

Raising awareness of the importance and value of linguistic duality among Canadians (Anglophone and Francophone), particularly among youth in particular at the post-secondary level, and among key players:

• Implementing a comprehensive communications strategy for 2010–2013, including promotion activities and communications products targeting these audiences.
• Developing tools and carrying out promotional activities to raise awareness among the travelling public of their language rights and the importance of receiving services in the official language of their choice.
• Continuing to promote second language learning at the university level to interested parties and the Canadian population as a whole, based primarily on the study on second-language learning in Canada's universities, published in 2009.

Engaging regional federal councils to promote linguistic duality within both the federal public service and Canadian society:

• Encouraging regional federal councils across the country to promote linguistic duality as a value in the public service and holding activities in the context of an annual Linguistic Duality Day.

Continuing to act as a bridge builder between the federal government and other levels of government, as well as local governments and official language minority communities, so that public policies will better reflect Canada's linguistic duality:

• Supporting the Francophone communities of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut in their interventions to help territorial governments develop a comprehensive plan for creating language regimes for these two territories.
• Encouraging networking among municipalities and raising their awareness of the importance of providing bilingual services and of the role of linguistic duality in the vitality and operations of cities.

Contributing to a better understanding of the implementation of Part VII of the Act in the context of the fifth anniversary of the amendments to the Act, and encouraging the government to pursue a constructive dialogue with official language minority communities:

• In the context of the fifth anniversary of the amendments to Part VII of the Act, identifying the progress made and the challenges met by federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act, and encouraging the government to pursue a constructive dialogue with official language minority communities in order to identify positive measures that would contribute to the full implementation of the Act.
• Monitoring the federal government's implementation of the Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality 2008–2013 to identify successes, issues and needs for adjustments, and to make appropriate recommendations.

Intervening before the courts to ensure that the Official Languages Act and the provisions of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms pertaining to official languages are respected and ensuring a consistent interpretation of language rights that is compatible with developing and enhancing the vitality of the country's official language minority communities:

• Examining opportunities to intervene in the R. v. Caron appeal, which deals with the official status of the French language in Alberta under the Canadian constitution.

Benefits of this Program Activity for Canadians

Canada's language policies are part of a broader dialogue among legislators, the courts and citizens. The work undertaken by OCOL is part of that conversation. Through OCOL's efforts, federal institutions and the public gain a better understanding of the core value of linguistic duality and of the situation of official language communities. Those communities, in turn, benefit from this increased understanding and openness from institutions and the general population.

2.4 Program Activity 3: Internal Services

Activity Description

Internal Services are groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization. These groups are: Management and Oversight Services, Communications Services, Legal Services, Human Resources Management Services, Financial Management Services, Information Management Services, Information Technology Services, Real Property Services, Materiel Services, Acquisition Services, and Travel and Other Administrative Services. Internal Services include only those activities and resources that apply across an organization and not to those provided specifically to a program.

Planned Resources3	2010–2011	2011–2012	2012–2013
Financial Resources ($000)	6,350	6,359	6,359
Human Resources (FTEs)	54.5	54.5	54.5

3. Given the legislated requirement to pursue court action under the law, legal services are excluded from Internal Services at OCOL and form part of Program Activity 1 – Protection Through Compliance Assurance. Equally, given its specific mandate, OCOL's communications services are not included in Internal Services but rather form part of Program Activity 2 – Promotion Through Policy and Communications.

Planning Highlights for this Program Activity

Over the next three years, and more particularly in 2010–2011, OCOL will pursue its strategic outcome through the corporate management priority (presented in Section 1.2 of this Report). To do this, it will build its organizational capacity through the application of sound management principles and practices that support its corporate priorities. More specifically, OCOL will deliver on activities such as the following:

Updating its governance mechanisms to provide an accountability framework that acknowledges its independent status by:

• Incorporating its advisory committee on human resources management and its advisory committee on information management and information technology into its decision-making process.
• Updating its delegation instruments and defining OCOL's requirements regarding levels of responsibility, accountability, consultation and information with respect to the management of human resources, finances and information.
• Developing a multi-year plan for monitoring the use of delegations in human resources, finance and information management.
• Developing a financial strategy to meet OCOL's current and emerging needs.
• Ensuring that corporate discipline and alignment with OCOL's strategic outcome are in place, thus providing effective strategic direction, support to the Commissioner and the delivery of results;
• Continuing to enhance OCOL's integrated operational planning exercise and improving the way financial and non-financial information is provided, thus offering better support to the decision-making process and ensuring optimal resource allocation.

Updating the multi-year human resources management strategic plan, taking into account:

• The results of the 2008 Public Service Employee Survey; the multi-year employment equity plan and other input with an impact on human resources management (for example, the results of the internal audit and feedback from the Public Service Commission of Canada).

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