July 15, 2005
The following new policy instruments come into effect on July 15th, 2005:
The objective of the official languages policy review is to
simplify and update the policy instruments and adapt them to meet users' needs.
The existing policy instruments were analysed and reorganized to create a group
of instruments that are integrated, easy to understand and more values-based
than rules-based. The new policy instruments strengthen accountability and
clearly establish the roles and responsibilities of federal institutions.
Phase I of the policy review dealt with language of work, human
resources management, the linguistic identification of positions, the staffing
of bilingual positions, language training and learning retention and the
equitable participation of the two official language communities. These policies
came into effect on April 1, 2004.
Phase II of the review continues the work undertaken in Phase I
to strengthen respect for the Official
Languages Act in the Public Service of Canada and assist in the
pursuit of excellence in communications with and services to the public.
Clarifications are provided on the use of official languages on Web sites and in
electronic communications. These policy instruments prescribe the manner in
which the stated principles must be implemented. The policy and the two
directives apply to all institutions subject to the Official
Languages Act, with the exception of the Senate, the House of Commons,
the Library of Parliament, the Office of the Senate Ethics Officer and the
Office of the Ethics Commissioner.
The Policy on the Use of Official Languages for
Communications with and Services to the Public replaces the following
policy instruments as of July 15, 2005:
The new Policy on the Use of Official Languages for
Communications with and Services to the Public deals with institutions'
use of official languages in various circumstances, such as when providing
services to the public, using media, organizing or participating in events of
national or international scope, and distributing lengthy documents.
The Directive on the Use of Official Languages on Web
Sites and the Directive on the Use of Official Languages in
Electronic Communications replace the following policy as of
July 15, 2005:
These directives deal with the linguistic obligations pertaining
to services to the public and language of work.
The Directive on the Use of Official Languages on Web
Sites of the federal government sets out, for example, the criteria used
to identify those Web sites that are required to be in both English and French,
and indicates the language in which greetings must be posted.
The Directive on the Use of Official Languages in
Electronic Communications provides information on the official language
or languages to be used in e-mails, among other communications. For example, the
Directive sets out the circumstances in which e-mails must be prepared in both
official languages.
Presentation of the content of the new policy instruments
The Policy on the Use of Official Languages for
Communications with and Services to the Public combines into one
document the various official languages obligations of institutions as a whole
and their bilingual and unilingual offices or facilities.
The two directives set out linguistic obligations in the
following order:
1) Expected results:
a) Obligations regarding communications with and services to
the public:
i) Obligations of an office or facility designated bilingual
ii) Obligations of a unilingual office or facility
b) Obligations regarding language of work:
i) Obligations related to electronic communications intended
for employees located in regions designated as bilingual for
language-of-work purposes
ii) Obligations related to electronic communications
intended for employees located in unilingual regions for language-of-work
purposes
2) Implementation procedures:
a) Procedures related to products required to be in both
official languages
b) Procedures related to products not required to be in both
official languages
Announcement
The new policy instruments are posted on the Public Service
Human Resources Management Agency of Canada's Web site at
http://www.hrma-agrh.gc.ca/ollo/common/policies-politiques_e.asp
and on the Treasury Board Secretariat's site at
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/common/policies-politiques_e.asp
under the heading "Official Languages".
Contact
For more information, please contact Mr. Kelly Collins, Official
Languages Branch, Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada, by
e-mail at Collins.Kelly@hrma-agrh.gc.ca
or by telephone at (613) 954-2582.
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