Status Report 1997-98 and Action Plan 1998-2001

Treasury Board decision of March 19, 1998 to establish, within federal institutions, a high-level responsibility centre charged with enhancing the visibility of the official languages and ensuring that departments optimize the impacts of their future initiatives aimed at promoting the development of the official language minority communities.

The signing by the TBS Secretary on March 20, 1998 of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Comité national de développement des ressources humaines de la francophonie canadienne, aimed at supporting the economic and human resource development of Canada's Francophone minority communities.

Identification of the "support for official language minority communities" component as a horizontal issue in the government planning process, and specifically in the federal institutions' business plans.

Establishment of operating links among the Departmental Advisory Committee on Official Languages, the Comité national de développement des ressources humaines de la francophonie canadienne and the Committee of national section 41 coordinators, with a view to ensuring improved horizontal integration within government of the concerns of the official language minority communities.

Letter from the President of the Treasury Board in May 1997 to his Cabinet colleagues, reaffirming the federal government's desire to promote the development of official language minority communities and urging his colleagues to support this development. This commitment was reiterated within the federal administration through a letter dated August 20, 1997 from the TBS Secretary to his deputy minister colleagues.

Publication, in March and April 1997 in most of the newspapers in each province's/territory's official language minority communities of a series of inserts, in both official languages, aimed at increasing awareness of federal government services that could support their development.

Participation in the economic growth of minority newspapers through publication of advertisements on government services.

Promotion of the importance of support for official language minority communities during training sessions offered by TBS to federal institutions.

2. Distribution of progress report

This progress report is distributed to national and provincial associations representing the official language minority communities, the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages and the Standing Joint Committee on Official Languages.

Part II: Action Plan 1998-2001

1. Principal measures planned

Using the influence of the TBS as a central agency to increase the program's visibility and promote support for official language minority communities among federal institutions by the inclusion of implementation of section 41 in:

- orientations and analytical grid developed by TBS on "Governance and national cohesion";

- the federal government's strategic planning process through presentation and analysis of business plans;

- reports on plans and priorities (spring) and reports on departmental performance (fall);

- and any other governmental process coordinated by the TBS, including regional counsel of senior officials (ongoing).

Incorporating the "support for official language minority communities" aspect in the organizational culture of the TBS by:

- the appointment in spring 1998 of a high-level responsibility centre to act as "champion" of official languages in the TBS and promote the optimization of impacts on official language minority communities in Treasury Board presentations;

- the creation of an inter-sectoral committee including a representative of each division of the TBS who can contribute to the implementation of section 41: this committee will have to ensure that section 41 is considered in analyses and discussions conducted in its sector, including Treasury Board presentations;

- systematic inclusion of support for minority communities in the analytical and follow-up process of official languages plans and reports submitted by institutions (ongoing).

Identifying the principles that will determine the analysis of Treasury Board submissions to facilitate consideration of the impact of initiatives, including the government transformations, on official language minority communities.

Creation of an external study group reporting to the President of the Treasury Board to analyse the effects of government changes on official languages, including support for official language minority communities.

Reviewing as required, in conjunction with the institution concerned, the criteria of a program to permit support for initiatives favouring the development of official language minority communities. Such a review must of course comply with the objectives set in the program concerned (ongoing).

Incorporating "support for development of official language minority communities" aspect in the curriculum of official language training sessions offered to public servants throughout Canada (ongoing).

Discussion with institutions concerned of needs identified by official language minority communities in the "41" consultations coordinated by Canadian Heritage (ongoing).

Use by the TBS of the minority official language community media to broadcast information of interest to the Canadian public originating with the TBS (ongoing).

Increasing the visibility of section 41 among federal institutions by the hiring, in consultation with the Privy Council Office and Canadian Heritage, of a high-level consultant to promote support for minority communities at the highest levels of the institutions concerned (fall 1998).

Use of the Official Languages Symposium to demonstrate the vitality and promote the development of official language minority communities (September 1998).

Confirmation in addresses by the President and Secretary of the Treasury Board of the intention of the Treasury Board and Secretariat to support official language minority communities.

Active participation in the National Committee to Develop the Human Resources of Canadian Francophonie, coordinated by Human Resources Development Canada (ongoing).

Promotion among departments of participation by official language minority community youth in the Federal Public Sector Youth Internship Program, a program coordinated by the TBS (1998-1999).

Proceeding with implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding between the President of the Treasury Board and the Canadian Heritage Minister signed on March 20, 1997.

2. Distribution of action plan

This action plan is distributed to national and provincial associations representing the official language minority communities, the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages and the Standing Joint Committee on Official Languages.

ACTION PLAN
CONCERNING IMPLEMENTATION OF SECTION 41
OF THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGES ACT

Section I General information

1. Identification of institution (complete address including Internet)

2. Brief description of institution's mandate (include, if relevant, programs of interest to the official-language minority communities)

The Treasury Board discharges the federal government's responsibilities for the control of finances, staff and the general administration of the federal Public Service. In addition, as employer and manager of the Government of Canada, it sets policies in this regard, examines and approves expenditure plans submitted by federal departments and examines the progress of previously approved programs. In particular:

As the body controlling expenditure, the Treasury Board is responsible for preparing the government's expenditure budgets and ensuring that expenditure on programs in departments is controlled;

As employer, the Treasury Board defines the conditions under which the Public Service recruits and maintains in its employ the staff it requires. In this connection the following points are of particular importance: the provision of appropriate service to the public, a work environment in which both official languages are used and equitable participation in federal institutions for Francophone Canadians, Anglophone Canadians and a fair and balanced selection of members of designated groups (women, the handicapped, visible minorities and aboriginals);

As manager of the Government of Canada the Treasury Board defines the strategic parameters in the following areas: accounting, audit and evaluation, contracts, financial management, information technology, real estate and regulatory matters affecting administrative methods and federal assets.

3. Officers responsible (senior official, national, provincial and territorial coordinators)

Assistant Secretary responsible for file:

Name: Gaston Guénette

Title: Assistant Secretary
Official Languages Division
Human Resources Branch

Address: L'Esplanade Laurier
West Tower, 7th Floor
300 Laurier West, Ottawa K1A 0R5

Tel.: (613) 952-2532 Fax: (613) 957-7036

Name of coordinator for implementing Section 41 of the Official Languages Act:

Name: Charlotte Cloutier

Title: Program Director
Official Languages and Employment Equity
Official Languages Division

Address: L'Esplanade Laurier
West Tower, 7th Floor
300 Laurier West, Ottawa K1A 0R5

Tel.: (613) 941-6971 Fax: (613) 941-8018

4. Period covered by action plan

This action plan covers the period from April 1, 1998 to March 31, 2001. It will be annually updated.

Section II Identification of community needs

1. Means used to identify needs of official-language minority communities at national level as well as provincial and territorial levels

Participation in national, provincial and territorial consultations coordinated by Canadian Heritage in connection with the implementation of section 41 of the OLA.

Participation in annual general meetings of associations with minority interest and ongoing liaison with the said associations.

Use of official languages network in federal institutions in accordance with Treasury Board Secretariat mandate to undertake coordination and general management of the federal government's official languages program.

2. Principal needs identified at national, provincial and territorial levels

Official language minority communities wish the TBS to use its influence as a central body to increase awareness among federal institutions promoting their development. The communities' expectations of the TBS are thus in terms of a central agency, not a department.

Section III Action plan contents and timetable

a. Measures proposed by the institution to respond to community needs