2005-2006 Fact Sheet
Industry Canada

Management

There is accountability at all levels for Part IV, V, VI and VII of the Official Languages Act (The Act), with details provided in the Official Languages Reference Manual - Your Rights and Obligations. This manual was revised in 2005. The Industry Canada Action Plan for 2005-06 includes objectives and time frames pertaining to Parts IV, V and VI. The action plan also includes ongoing official languages (OL) activities/initiatives and addresses shortcomings noted in the OL Annual Review Report submitted to Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada (PSHRMAC). Senior management approved the action plan and it was shared with PSHRMAC. The 2004-2008 strategic framework was developed in consultation with regional development organizations on Parts IV, V, and VI. These organizations were also consulted on the plan pertaining to Part VII.

In 2005-2006 more performance agreements include commitments to OL obligations. Reporting is done through the OL Annual Review. A Departmental official is responsible for reviewing and reporting progress to senior management. The final document is posted on the Human Resources Branch (HRB) Intranet site.

b) Visibility of official languages in the organization (5%)

The Reports on Plans and Priorities 2005-06 and the Departmental Performance Report 2004-05 include references to OL. The long-term vision for Part VII is set out in a multi-year plan on the implementation of section 41 of the Act. OL are integrated into internal audits. Surveys on various aspects of OL are conducted from time to time.

OL are discussed two or three times per year at the Executive Committee. The OL champion, an Assistant Deputy Minister, addresses the issue of OL as the need arises. The official with functional responsibility for OL is invited occasionnaly. The Part VII coordinator and the manager responsible for Parts IV, V and VI have an ongoing working relationship.

c) Complaints (5%)

The complaints processing system is explained in the Administrative Guidelines on the Investigation and Resolution of Official Languages Complaints. The Human Resources Branch maintains a record of all complaints and reports annually to senior management in this regard.

Complaints from the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages (OCOL) are systematically forwarded to the Department's OL Unit that serves as a liaison between the manager and OCOL. The OL Unit consults with and provides advice to management as needed. Internal complaints are handled by the Department's OL Unit. Managers are responsible for investigating complaints, seeing to their resolution and preparing a response. If the complaint is valid, corrective measures are implemented and, where necessary, systemic problems that may have led to the infraction are addressed. There is no formal mechanism to draw on the lessons from the past. OCOL has not identified any systemic problem.

Service to the public – Part IV

The public is informed of the Department's bilingual points of service through the bilingual Internet site, the Blue Pages and BUROLIS.

Industry Canada undertook a review and validation of Departmental BUROLIS data in 2005. During the course of observations of service in-person and on the telephone performed in the fall of 2005, the Office of the Commissioner's representatives noted that BUROLIS was not up to date, particularly in the case of the following points of service: no. 85308 and 12421.

93% of incumbents of bilingual positions serving the public meet the language requirements of their position. (Source: Position and Classification Information System (PCIS), March 31, 2005)

Industry Canada personnel continue to input employee-related data into Human Resources Management System (HRMS) in a timely manner and the OL Unit monitors error reports to ensure corrections are made as required. A review of HRMS OL data from September 2004 identified a number of erroneous entries. These errors have since been corrected. Verification of OL data has continued in 2005-2006.

b) Findings on active offer and service delivery (15%)

According to the observations of in-person service made by OCOL in the fall of 2005, active visual offer was present in 78% of cases, active offer by staff was made in 11% of cases, while service in the language of the linguistic minority was adequate in 67% of cases.

According to the observations of service on the telephone made by OCOL in the fall of 2005, active offer of service by staff or by an automated system was made in 92% of cases, while service in the language of the linguistic minority was adequate in 92% of cases.

c) The service agreements delivered by third parties or in partnership provide for the delivery of bilingual services (2%)

In each sector, the manager responsible for contracts must ensure compliance with the OL guiding principles. With regard to grants, managers are required to review their OL responsibilities. For instance, language clauses are included in contracts awarded to 18 targeted bilingual community development corporations in Ontario. No evidence of structured, regular monitoring of services offered by third parties was provided.

d) Bilingual services quality monitoring (4%)

Managers are responsible for training, informing and supervising employees as to their obligations to actively offer service in both OL and to provide service in the clients' language of choice. Each office is responsible for evaluating client satisfaction and the internal audit unit conducts surveys from time to time. Centralized translation and editing services are provided under a contract with the Translation Bureau.

The 2005 Canada-Ontario Business Service Centre annual Clients Needs Survey indicated client satisfaction with their services in both OL. FedNor carried out a Client Satisfaction Survey including a question on OL active offer of service. Results are expected in 2005-2006. Findings from the PSHRMAC telephone survey were shared with audited offices. Where lapses were apparent, corrective measures were identified. Communication tools including two one-page documents entitled, On the Telephone and Active Offer of Service in Both Official Languages and a video entitled, OL... A Matter of Service were sent to these offices. An internal review of these offices was conducted in the fall of 2005, to ensure that corrective measures have been implemented.

In order to allow the Department to prepare its Annual Review of OL, managers must report on their achievements in this area. Based on information provided by managers, OL officials prepare the annual report to PSHRMAC. The report is posted on the Department's Intranet site.

Language of work – Part V

85% of EX incumbents and 91% of supervisors in bilingual positions in bilingual regions meet the language requirements of their position. (Source: PCIS, March 31, 2005)

The Official Languages Reference Manual includes information concerning the language of work; it is posted on the Intranet. Managers are responsible for the implementation of the policy.

As an awareness measure, officials give information sessions and use the Department's internal electronic communications (ICINFO and This week @ IC) to communicate with employees regarding their language rights. Corporate funding was provided in 2004-2005 for second language training in the National Capital Region and regions. Sectors/branches offered second language training in support of their staff's career aspirations. Training options varied from individual to group training, on either a full time or part-time basis; thereby, creating a larger pool of bilingual candidates, as more employees will be able to compete for bilingual positions.

A 3-phase pilot project in the Industry Sector examined the language requirements of the Sector and reviewed the current positions against these findings, validated employees' language skills and surveyed employees on language training preferences for both organizational and individual career development needs.

The Policy Sector's review of the language competency profiles for its EX-1 and EX-2 personnel resulted in the launch of a pilot project aimed at offering managers a new set of tools for more effective development of second language skills.

b) Establishment of an environment conducive to both official languages (12.5%)

Reminders of rights and obligations are made to employees and managers two or three times per year. Signs are posted in all meeting rooms to promote the use of participants' OL of preference.

The Executive Committee uses both official languages; all executive positions in bilingual regions are bilingual at the CBC level and many presentations are bilingual.

The action plan concerning the language of work developed following the Public Service-Wide Employees Survey will be revised after the fall 2005 survey results are received. The record of complaints is used as an indicator of implementation for the plan.

Equitable participation – Part VI

b) Percentage of Anglophone participation in Quebec (5%)

Development of official language minority communities and promotion of linguistic duality –Part VII

A full-time coordinator manages all Part VII issues. There is an action plan for 2004-2008, based on formal consultations organized by Industry Canada and the regional development agencies. A formative evaluation of the implementation of section 41 regarding this action plan, and the government Action Plan for OL—economic development and language industry components—was initiated and should be completed before the end of the fiscal year 2005-2006.

In 2004-2005, Industry Canada invested over $7.8 million for initiatives and projects with OL minority communities. Strong partnerships with the regional development agencies and with community partners were developed. It is estimated that in 2004-2005, more than $3.7 million was spent on tele-training and tele-learning pilot projects, internships and communications activities.

Consultations with OL minority community representatives are held annually and with key program officials to inform them of community priorities.

Additionally, for the first time, Industry Canada and the regional development agencies undertook a series of research studies to determine the investments made with the communities, identify the array of networks operating in the minority communities and pinpoint the geographical locations of the minority communities. This research, plus approaches to more effectively integrate the OL minority communities' input in Departmental programs, plans, strategies and policies, were shared with the latter during consultations in March 2005. Community reactions were very positive. Support and consulting services are offered to OL minority communities through the network of eight full-time regional advisors in the field.

The Memorandum of Understanding with Canadian Heritage concerning implementation of the Interdepartmental Partnership with the Official Language Communities (IPOLC) was renewed for a period of three years.

The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages' audit of Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) published in May 2005, indicated that there are still weaknesses in supporting the development of official language minorities. However, OCOL favourably received the Action Plan submitted by Industry Canada. The plan was drafted in response to the recommendations put forth by the Commissioner. All the measures related to the Action Plan will be completed by the end of March 2006.

The Communications Branch ensures that all communications activities respect the government policy on this subject. Manager awareness sessions are held on a regular basis.

The Intranet site ProAction 41 is regularly updated and improved to raise employee awareness of section 41 requirements and community needs.

b) Strategic planning and the development of policies and programs take into account the promotion of linguistic duality (12.5%)

The Part VII Coordinator ensures that promotion of linguistic duality is considered in Departmental activities. Program managers and officials responsible for developing strategic plans or new programs or policies are aware of their obligations for promoting Canada's linguistic duality. Additional information will be available on the Intranet and in the Official Languages Reference Manual.

Examples of initiatives are: Les Rendez-vous de La Francophonie, Linguistic Mentoring Program, and update and improvement of the CommunAction Web site to inform communities of government economic development programs and services.

Under the Language Industry component, partnerships have been established with Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, the "Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne" [Federation of Francophone and Acadian communities] and the "Association des universités de la francophonie canadienne" [Association of universities of the Canadian Francophone community]. In 2004-2005, total contributions made to OL minority community businesses were $39 000. This amount was shared among five Anglophone businesses in Quebec (Montréal, Outaouais, Gaspé Peninsula).