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Successful Communication
Tool Kit -
Literacy and You
Communication Canada
May 2003
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8.2 Other Canadian Initiatives
British Columbia Securities Commission
The British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC) has published the BCSC Plain Language Style Guide, which offers many examples of clear writing in general and is a good reference for simplifying legal documents. You can also read their news release Breathing New Life into Plain Language.
Canadian Bankers Association
Canadian Bankers Association is committed to improving the readability of mortgage documents. The association has developed plain language mortgage documents.
Canadian Bar Association
The Canadian Bar Association is essentially the ally and advocate of all members of the legal profession. Several provincial branches of the association have formed working groups on plain language.
The Lawyers for Literacy Project is an initiative of the B.C. Branch of the Canadian Bar Association. It helps lawyers improve their client communications, particularly when their client's literacy skills are not adequate to deal with written material. The Lawyers for Literacy Project helps lawyers to make some simple changes in their practice procedures to better meet the needs of clients with limited literacy skills.
Canadian Labour Congress
The Canadian Labour Congress' (CLC) desk mat Making It Clear: A Clear Language and Design Screen is a quick tool published by the CLC's Workplace Literacy Project. It is useful for checking whether one is writing clearly. An accompanying guide called Making it Clear: Clear Language for Union Communications is a handy binder full of suggestions, examples and instructions on how to write in plain language.
Centre d'expertise des grands organismes
The Centre d'expertise des grands organismes has created the exchange network on simplifying written communication. The purpose of this network is to share and pool the expertise of organizations on simplifying written communication for the benefit of ministries and agencies of the Government of Quebec.
Clear Language and Design
Clear Language and Design (CLAD) is a public education program of the Toronto East End Literacy Project, a non-profit organization that helps adults learn to read and write, and educates the public about literacy issues. CLAD offers, on a fee-for-service basis, services in writing and consulting, editing and rewriting, reading effectiveness assessment, consulting and training.
Communications Nova Scotia
Communications Nova Scotia (CNS) is the Nova Scotia government's full-service communications agency. It helps government departments and agencies get their message out. CNS is committed to developing and using plain language. The Internet site below aims to help people learn more about communicating clearly with their audience.
Community Legal Education of Ontario
Community Legal Education of Ontario (CLEO) is a community legal clinic that produces plain language material for people with low incomes. Topics include social assistance, landlord and tenant law, refugee and immigration law, workers' compensation, women's issues, family law, employment insurance and human rights. Most of their materials are in the form of booklets, pamphlets, fact sheets and manuals.
Consumers' Association of Canada
The mandate of Consumers' Association of Canada (CAC) is to inform consumers about marketplace issues, to advocate for consumers with government and industry, and to work with government and industry to solve marketplace problems. CAC focuses its work in the areas of food, health, trade, standards, financial services and communications industries, and strives to resolve other marketplace issues as they emerge. The CAC uses plain language in its communications with Canadian consumers.
Saskatchewan Literacy Network
Saskatchewan Literacy Network is a non-profit organization that promotes and supports literacy through public awareness activities, advocacy, training and sharing information. It is committed to encouraging the use of plain language through training.
Service d'aide au consommateur
The Service d'aide au consommateur (SAC) is a private, non-profit organization. The SAC is committed to the promotion and defence of citizen consumers in the area of consumer goods and services.
Web site: http://www.service-aide-consommateur.qc.ca/home.htm
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