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Lead Department: Canadian Heritage (transferred from PCO)
Start Date of the Horizontal Initiative: April 1, 2003
End Date of the Horizontal Initiative: March 31, 2008
Total Federal Funding Allocation: $787.3 M (In April 2005, a
3-year allocation (2005-08) in the amount of $36.0 M was added to the original
amount of $751.3, for the Enabling Fund, a program administered by HRSDC)
Description
The Action Plan is a policy statement of the Government of Canada that
strengthens the implementation obligations under the Official Languages Act
and includes a number of initiatives aimed at the enhancement and promotion of
linguistic duality in Canadian society. Ten (10) federal institutions received
funds for sectoral programs and activities related to official languages (OL).
Another key component of the Action Plan is the implementation of an
accountability framework and the establishment of overall coordination of
government-wide processes relating to official languages. The implementation of
the Action Plan is a component of the wider Official Languages Program (OLP) as
it has been defined and approved by the Committee of Deputy Ministers on
Official Languages (CDMOL) in December 2004.
Shared Outcome(s)
Three levels of outcomes have been identified for the Official Languages Program
:
Ultimate
- Canadians enjoy the benefit of linguistic duality; live and work in
communities that reflect Canadian values with respect to the use of English
and French, and have access to government services in the language of their
choice
Intermediate
- Increased proportion of Canadians are aware of the benefit of linguistic
duality and have access to the services that support it
- Enhanced capacity of Canadians, English-speaking in Quebec and
French-speaking across Canada to live and work in vibrant communities in
their language of choice
Immediate
- Improved access to Justice in both languages
- Increased participation in and improved access to education and learning
in support of linguistic duality
- Improved access to health and social services in the language of choice
- Enhanced cultural activites in support of Canadian identity
- Strengthened community economic development and language industries
- Enhanced community vitality
- Linguistic duality is reinforced in the institutions of Canadian society
and reflected abroad
- Federal institutions respect the official Languages Act (OLA) and the
Constitution
Governance Structures
The Minister responsible for Official Languages has specific responsibility
for the implementation of the Action Plan for Official Languages. The Official
Languages Branch (OLB) of Intergovernmental Affairs (IGA) became the Official
Languages Secretariat (OLS) when it was transferred to the department of
Canadian Heritage on February 6, 2006. The OLS will continue to support the
Minister responsible for Official Languages and the activities related to the
horizontal coordination of the Official Languages Program, including
implementation of the Action Plan. OLS will also support the overall governance
of the Official Languages Program through various mechanisms and committees.
Partners
Privy Council Office
Treasury Board Sectretariat / Public Service Human Resources Management Agency
of Canada
Canada School of Public Service
Health Canada
Human Resources and Social Development Canada
Industry Canada
National Research council Canada
Justice Canada
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Contact
Jérôme
Moisan
Senior Director
819-934-9187
Benoît
Marleau
Policy Analyst
819-934-9196
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