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Appendix - List of associations consulted in the audit
This audit is part of the audit activities conducted by the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) to ensure that the Official Languages Act (OLA) and TBS official languages policy are being enforced. Certain federal institutions (located in the Calgary, Vancouver and Winnipeg regions) that have previously been audited or inspected will be subject to the new audit. The goal of this audit is to determine whether the public can communicate with and receive services from these institutions in the official language of its choice, in accordance with the Official Languages Act and the Official Languages (Communications with and Services to the Public) Regulations.
This section presents the background to the audit and the objectives, scope, approach used, results, conclusions and recommendations.
In her audit report on official languages in the Canadian sports system, the Commissioner of Official Languages asked the Treasury Board Secretariat to review its official languages audit methodology in order to ensure that the programs audited not only comply with established administrative controls, but also are effective in achieving program objectives. To that end the President of the Treasury Board informed the Commissioner that the TBS would be establishing a plan of activities that included the goal of following up on audits and inspections. In addition to this report, two other similar reports are being published: one on the Halifax and Moncton regions, and one on the Montreal and Toronto regions.
The audit objectives were established under Part IV of the Official Languages Act, which deals with the obligations of federal institutions, and third parties acting on their behalf, concerning service to the public. The audit objective was to determine the extent to which the institutions in question are fulfilling their service to the public obligations under the Official Languages Act, the Official Languages (Communications with and Services to the Public) Regulations and government policy.
Another audit objective is to determine, as applicable, the extent to which the offices selected have corrected any deficiencies related to service to the public that were identified in previous audits or inspections. The study also seeks to determine whether these organizations have maintained a level of performance that is judged adequate.
The audit covered six federal institutions in each of the Calgary, Vancouver and Winnipeg regions.
For each location visited, we carried out three types of audit:
The following steps were completed during the audit:
Fording Place, 205 9th Avenue S.E., Calgary
Burolis #: 91060
October 27, 2000
Audit results
A) Active Offer
Active offer on the telephone outside business hours
The Calgary office of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada has a telephone number in the Calgary telephone directory, in both official languages: 292-6134 (403). When we made our call outside business hours, the telephone messages were fully bilingual and identical.
Active offer on the telephone during business hours
When we called the above number, we were given an active offer and were able to obtain services in French immediately.
Active offer in person
When we visited the reception desk we were given an active offer, and the attendant was completely bilingual. She was able to answer our questions and direct us to the manager we were to meet. It should be mentioned that the employee at the reception desk is the only possible contact point for people from outside, since the public cannot access the office without first going to the reception desk.
Visibility of the official languages symbol at all times
When conducting our audit we noted that there was an official languages symbol at the reception desk and in the documentation centre.
Postings in both official languages at all times
The postings and signage were completely bilingual.
Availability of publications in both official languages
All publications used come from head office and are available in both official languages. On our visit we found a number of publications in both official languages there, including Immigration Appeal Division, Convention Refugee Determination, Facts about the Adjudication Division and the brochure entitled The Research Program of the Documentation, Information and Research Branch.
In the documentation centre, a number of publications that do not come directly from the IRB are available only in the language of origin. There is not a great deal of documentation in French, but we were informed that the demand was very limited and that it was not cost-effective to have a number of documents taking up space when they would probably not be consulted. However, we were told that any documentation available in French could be obtained fairly quickly on request. When there is significant demand for a document, it is kept in the documentation centre for consultation.
Use of both official languages on the Internet site
The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Internet site (http://www.cisr.gc.ca/) is completely bilingual and very user-friendly. It describes the full range of services provided by the IRB. There is no specific reference to the Calgary office.
B) Service
Nature of the services provided by the office visited
The Calgary office has three divisions: the Convention Refugee Determination Division, the Immigration Appeal Division and the Adjudication Division. The Convention Refugee Determination Division hears only refugee status claims made by persons in Canada. The Immigration Appeal Division hears appeals of sponsored applications for permanent residence that have been denied. The Adjudication Division handles immigration-related requests for persons who are considered inadmissible to or removable from Canada under the Immigration Act.
Existence of bilingual capacity required to provide continuous service in both official languages
This office has 23 positions, four of which are bilingual. Three of the employees occupying the bilingual positions have achieved at least B level, and their bilingualism tests are still valid. There is one bilingual position currently occupied by a person who is not bilingual. This situation should be corrected shortly, since that represents 25% of the bilingual positions and affects the delivery of services in French. All employees are regularly informed of their language obligations.
Presence of work tools required for provision of service in both official languages
According to the manager we met, the office has the work tools required to provide the service in both official languages. The office has some bilingual keyboards. The business cards and fax cover sheets are bilingual.
Comparability of services to the public in both official languages, and availability of administrative arrangements as necessary
The manager interviewed had been in the position for only six months, and she could not confirm with certainty that the services provided to the public were comparable and equal in quality in both official languages, because there had not been a request for services in French since she took up the position. She said that often the office knew the client's language, because clients were referred by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and that gave them time to adjust accordingly. Also, clients usually come on appointment.
The manager told us that the office had the capability to conduct interviews in French, but that if there were a request for services in French relating to adjudication and the request were complex, the office would contact a bilingual employee in the Winnipeg office so that it could provide service in French in that area. She also indicated that as a last resort she could contact the Montreal office and if necessary use a video conference to ensure that the services would be provided in French. We are not able to judge the comparability of the services, but we would point out that the fact that one of the four bilingual positions is not occupied by a bilingual employee will necessarily affect the delivery of bilingual services.
C) Managers' Responsibilities
Knowledge of requirements regarding service to the public in both official languages
The manager we met was well aware of her office's official languages obligations.
Existence of controls to ensure service is always provided in both official languages
There are no controls at the local level to ensure that the service is always provided in both official languages. The manager believes that head office carries out spot checks, but she had no data to that effect. She considers that the lack of complaints also constitutes a form of control.
Existence of mechanisms to assess client satisfaction
There are no mechanisms to assess client satisfaction.
Meetings with the representatives of the official language minority community
There are no formal meetings with the official language minority community.
Use of the media
The Calgary office does not use the media.
Complaints concerning official languages
There has been no complaint concerning official languages in recent years.
Changes since the last audit
There has been little change in the situation since the last audit, done in March 1996. The number of positions has grown from 16 to 23, but the number of bilingual positions remains the same. In 1996, two of the four bilingual positions were occupied by employees who had incumbent rights; today, only one of the four bilingual positions is not occupied by a bilingual employee. Today the bilingual capacity still seems sufficient to meet the demand for services in French.
Recommendations
No recommendations are necessary.
220 4th Avenue S.E., Calgary
Burolis #: 11876
October 27, 2000
Audit results
A) Active Offer
Active offer on the telephone outside business hours
The telephone number for Canadian Heritage, listed in both official languages in the Calgary telephone directory, is 292-5541 (403). When we called this number outside business hours, the telephone message was completely bilingual. The Calgary office is also responsible for the Service Canada Access Centre. There is a toll-free number (1-800-O-Canada) for this service; the message is completely bilingual.
Active offer on the telephone during business hours
When we called the above numbers, there was an active offer and services in French.
Active offer in person
When we visited the Canadian Heritage reception desk, we received an active offer and services in French. We also received an active offer and services in French at the Service Canada Access Centre, which is administered by Canadian Heritage.
Visibility of the official languages symbol at all times
We noted that there was an official languages symbol at the reception desk. Also, we found some symbols at the Service Canada desks.
Postings in both official languages at all times
The postings and signage are completely bilingual. All temporary and permanent notices were in both official languages.
Availability of publications in both official languages
All publications used come from head office and are available in both official languages. They include documents on multiculturalism, cultural industries, arts policy and official languages. The documentation available in the office was either bilingual or published in both English and French. At the Service Canada Access Centre we found the most popular Government of Canada publications, which were available in both official languages.
Use of both official languages on the Internet site
The Canadian Heritage Internet site (http://www.pch.gc.ca/) is completely bilingual and very user-friendly. It describes the full range of services provided by the Department. There is no specific Internet site for the Calgary office, but there is a general site (www.Canada.gc.ca) for the Service Canada Access Centre. This site is also fully bilingual.
B) Service
Nature of the services provided by the office visited
The Calgary office provides the full range of programs and services, such as national policies and programs on broadcasting, the cultural industries, the arts, heritage, official languages, Canadian identity, the Canadian symbols, multiculturalism, etc. The office is also responsible for the Service Canada Access Centre, a vast single window set up to inform Canadians about a wide range of Government of Canada services and programs.
Existence of bilingual capacity required to provide continuous service in both official languages
This office has five positions, three of which are bilingual (2 at the CCC level and the management position at the BBB level). There is also a student working at this office; his position is not designated as bilingual, but he is able to provide services in French. The bilingual positions are occupied by bilingual employees. The two employees who work at Service Canada are also bilingual. The bilingualism tests for all the employees are still valid. The office is able to provide services in French on a regular basis.
Presence of work tools required for provision of service in both official languages
According to the manager we met, the office has the work tools required to provide service in both official languages. The office has bilingual keyboards. The business cards are bilingual, as are the letterheads and fax cover sheets.
Comparability of the service to the public in both official languages, and availability of administrative arrangements as necessary
The services provided are comparable and equal in quality, because there are enough bilingual employees on duty to provide service in both official languages at all times of day. The office has also made an administrative arrangement with Parks Canada in case there is a shortage of bilingual personnel for some reason.
C) Managers' Responsibilities
Knowledge of requirements regarding service to the public in both official languages
The manager we met was well aware of her office's official languages obligations.
Existence of controls to ensure service is always provided in both official languages
There are no specific controls to ensure that the service is always provided in both official languages. The manager considers that the lack of complaints constitutes a form of control, and that the supervision of management is sufficient, since there are not many employees at this office.
Existence of mechanisms to assess client satisfaction
There are no mechanisms to assess client satisfaction. However, it should be added that a comment card is available at the Service Canada Access Centre. This comment card is bilingual, but it does not include any questions related to official languages.
Meetings with the representatives of the official language minority community
The manager interviewed said that in the light of its mandate, Canadian Heritage maintained very good relations with the official language minority communities. The representative of the Association canadienne-française de l'Alberta we met confirmed that this was the case.
Use of the media
Canadian Heritage publishes its advertisements in the newspapers in both official languages or in English in the English-language dailies and in French in the weekly Le Franco.
Complaints concerning official languages
In the past year there has been one complaint concerning official languages. It related to the unilingual English texts supplied by Canadian Heritage to the master of ceremonies presenting Francophone artists as part of the International Day of the Rendez-vous de la francophonie, held at the Harry Hays Building.
Changes since the last audit
Since the March 1996 audit, the nature of the services has been changed slightly, since Canadian Heritage now looks after the Service Canada Access Centre. The number of bilingual positions has remained the same at the office itself, but there are two more bilingual positions attached to Service Canada. Now as in 1996, Canadian Heritage is able to provide very good service in French.
Recommendations
No recommendations are necessary.
220 4th Avenue S.E., Calgary
Burolis #: 11562
October 27, 2000
Audit results
A) Active Offer
Active offer on the telephone outside business hours
The HRDC telephone number is listed in the Calgary telephone directory, in both official languages, as 292-4566 (403). When we called the number outside business hours, the telephone message was completely bilingual.
Active offer on the telephone during business hours
When we telephoned the above number, we received an active offer and services in French.
Active offer in person
When we went to the Harry Hays Building, we did not receive an active offer from the commissionaire to whom we spoke. He quickly brought in a bilingual colleague who gave us the necessary directions. When we arrived at the HRDC reception desk we received an active offer and services in French.
Visibility of the official languages symbol at all times
We noted that there were some official languages symbols at the reception desk.
Postings in both official languages at all times
The postings and signage are completely bilingual.
Availability of publications in both official languages
There are no local publications, except the pamphlet related to the Department's local Internet site. All publications used come from head office and are available in both official languages. They include forms for employment insurance, old age security and the Canada Pension Plan. The Alberta provincial government publications are available only in English.
Use of both official languages on the Internet site
The HRDC Internet site (http://www.pch.gc.ca/) is completely bilingual and includes a note stating that some hyperlinks are available only in the original language. The site describes the full range of services provided by the Department. We also noted that there is an Internet site specific to the Calgary office, at (http://www.drhc.gc.ca/cgi-bin/hr-display.cgi?rc=4802&ln=e); This is a bilingual site giving a brief description of the services, resources and Job Banks. There is also a bilingual site giving information on the labour market in Alberta; this site (http://www.ab.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/lmi/) is also bilingual, and the Department has published a bilingual pamphlet entitled Put Our Web Site to Work for You.
B) Service
Nature of the services provided by the office visited
Since April 1, 1997 there has been a Canada-Alberta agreement on labour market development. HRDC retains overall responsibility for income support related to employment insurance and the services related to the labour market. Alberta is responsible for the design, administration and implementation of various active employment measures; it is also responsible for the main functions of the National Employment Service, including employment counselling, selection and placement. The agreement thus enables Alberta to play a greater role in designing and administering labour market development programs and services for unemployed Albertans.
Existence of bilingual capacity required to provide continuous service in both official languages
This office has just over 20 bilingual positions, including those of the four receptionists, who are the first point of contact with the public. There are currently 11 people on an eligibility list who are likely to replace the bilingual receptionists, because the turnover rate for these employees is high, and the Department wants to be prepared for any eventuality. The other employees whose positions are bilingual work as officers in various fields, such as income security, employment insurance, etc. It should be noted that two employees are currently taking language courses to improve their personal skills.
In terms of the service provided by the provincial government employees, we were told that there were three bilingual employees out of six, and that these employees were completely bilingual. The three unilingual employees will eventually be replaced with bilingual employees when they leave their present positions. The provincial government employees do not receive the bilingualism bonus, but the obligation to provide services in both official languages is one of their conditions of employment.
Presence of work tools required for provision of service in both official languages
According to the managers we met, the office has the work tools necessary to provide the service in both official languages. The office has bilingual keyboards. The business cards, letterheads and fax cover sheets are bilingual.
Comparability of the service to the public in both official languages, and availability of administrative arrangements as necessary
The services provided are comparable and equal in quality, because there are enough bilingual employees on duty to provide the service in both official languages at all times of day.
C) Managers' Responsibilities
Knowledge of requirements regarding service to the public in both official languages
The managers we met were well aware of their office's official languages obligations.
Existence of controls to ensure service is always provided in both official languages
There is no specific control in this office to ensure that the service is always provided in both official languages. The managers said that the Commissioner of Official Languages conducted spot checks and that they were informed of them on occasion.
Existence of mechanisms to assess client satisfaction
There are no mechanisms to assess client satisfaction, but the office plans to study this matter in the coming months.
Meetings with the representatives of the official language minority community
There are no formal meetings with the official language minority community.
Use of the media
HRDC publishes its advertisements in the newspapers in both official languages, or else it publishes in English in the English-language dailies and in French in the weekly Le Franco.
Complaints concerning official languages
There has been one complaint concerning official languages. It related to a unilingual English telephone message for a telephone number published under the French listing in the blue pages of the Calgary telephone directory.
Changes since the last inspection
The last inspection was done in 1994. There have been so many changes since then that we cannot make any comparison with the situation prevailing at that time.
Recommendations
No recommendations are necessary.
220 4th Avenue S.E., Calgary
Burolis #: 11763
October 30, 2000
Audit results
A) Active Offer
Active offer on the telephone outside business hours
The telephone number for PWGSC is listed in the Calgary telephone directory, in both official languages, as 292-5981 (403). When we called it outside business hours, there was an active offer, but the message on the Call Answer system was unilingual English.
Active offer on the telephone during business hours
When we called the above number, there was an active offer, but to obtain services in French the call had to be transferred to the Edmonton regional office. The person in Edmonton who takes the call then acts as an interpreter: when asked for information, he puts the caller on hold and contacts the Calgary office again to find the answer to the questions. If we have other questions, the same hold process is repeated. This process is rather annoying when one has many questions and sub-questions.
Active offer in person
When we went to the Harry Hays Building, we did not receive an active offer from the commissionaire to whom we spoke. He quickly brought in a bilingual colleague who gave us the necessary directions. When we arrived at the PWGSC reception desk, we did not receive an active offer, but we did obtain services in French. It should be noted that the receptionist's position is not designated as bilingual, and she generally makes an active offer on the telephone only.
Visibility of the official languages symbol at all times
We noted that there was an official languages symbol at the reception desk.
Postings in both official languages at all times
The postings and signage were fully bilingual.
Availability of publications in both official languages
There is no local publication. All the publications used come from head office and are available in both official languages. There were all sorts of publications on such varied subjects as acquisitions of goods and services, guides to supply, sustainable development strategies, etc.
Use of both official languages on the Internet site
The PWGSC Internet site (http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/) is fully bilingual and includes a note that some hyperlinks are available only in the language in which they have been provided. The site describes the full range of services provided by the Department. There is no Internet site specific to the Calgary office.
B) Service
Nature of the services provided by the office visited
The Calgary office mainly provides services to the other federal government department and agency offices in Calgary. They include real property services, architecture, engineering, supply, purchasing, notices of proposed procurement, MERX – the official Canada electronic tendering service, etc.
Existence of bilingual capacity required to provide continuous service in both official languages
This office has 55 to 60 positions, five of which are bilingual. Most of the positions require B level, but some employees exceed that level. The language tests of all employees are still valid. There is almost no demand for services in French. The office said that there are only one or two visitors a year who want to be served in French, and that the frequency of telephone calls is approximately the same.
Presence of work tools required for provision of service in both official languages
According to the managers we met, the office does not have any bilingual keyboards but is still able to use the accents to respond properly to letters received in French. The office said that if the subjects to be discussed were complicated, it would deal either with the Edmonton office or with its translation services. The business cards, letterheads and fax cover sheets are bilingual.
Comparability of the service to the public in both official languages, and availability of administrative arrangements as necessary
The services provided at the office are comparable and equal in quality, because there are enough bilingual employees on duty to provide the service in both official languages at any time of day. The office has also made administrative arrangements with Canadian Heritage, whose office is in the same building. We were told that they had not had to use these arrangements to provide service to the public in both official languages. It would still be necessary to consider improving the services in French at the general information telephone number, because transferring the calls to the Edmonton office involves a number of drawbacks.
C) Managers' Responsibilities
Knowledge of requirements regarding service to the public in both official languages
The managers we met were well aware of their office's official languages obligations.
Existence of controls to ensure service is always provided in both official languages
There are no specific controls in this office to ensure that service to the public is always provided in both official languages.
Existence of mechanisms to assess client satisfaction
There are no mechanisms to assess client satisfaction. The office told us that there had been some surveys of the departments, but the managers did not know whether official languages had been covered in these surveys.
Meetings with the representatives of the official language minority community
There are no formal meetings with the official language minority community. It is the Edmonton regional office that handles those meetings. The office told us that its contacts with the Francophone community involved only the schools and were related to the distribution of computers.
Use of the media
PWGSC publishes its advertisements in the newspapers in both official languages, or else in English in the English-language dailies and in French in the weekly Le Franco. The advertisements mainly concern service contracts and leases.
Complaints concerning official languages
There has been no complaint concerning official languages in recent years.
Changes since the last inspection
The last inspection was done in 1994. There have been a few changes since: the number of positions has risen from thirty to sixty, and the number of bilingual positions from one to five. The office is in a better position to provide services in both official languages, even though the demand is not higher.
Recommendations
Following the audit, it is recommended:
3650 36th Street N.W., Calgary
Burolis #: 11478
October 30, 2000
Audit results
A) Active Offer
Active offer on the telephone outside business hours
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency office in Calgary (the office on 36th Street N.W.) is listed in both official languages in the Calgary telephone directory as 292-5562 (403). Outside business hours, the message at this number is fully bilingual. There is also another number listed as 229-7660 (403); the message at this number is not bilingual.
Active offer on the telephone during business hours
During business hour there was no active offer, but services in French were available when we called.
Active offer in person
We did not receive an active offer at the reception desk in this office when we visited it, but we were able to obtain services in French.
Visibility of the official languages symbol at all times
We noted that there was no official languages symbol at the reception desk and that there was also no sign indicating that service was available in both official languages.
Postings in both official languages at all times
The postings and signage are partially bilingual. At the entrance there is a notice stating, in English only: "All visitors report to reception desk", and two other safety-related -Property protected by video surveillance system" and "For building/security emergencies call 263-7110".
Availability of publications in both official languages
All publications used come from head office. The local administration does not have any publications. There was not a great deal of documentation in the office, but some publications were available in French.
Use of both official languages on the Internet site
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency Internet site (http://www.inspection.gc.ca/) is fully bilingual and very user-friendly. It describes the full range of services provided. There is no Internet site specific to the Calgary office.
B) Service
Nature of the services provided by the office visited
The office visited is located in a laboratory. The services provided relate to the programs and operations. The employees' work includes analysing agri-food products (meat and meat products, poultry and poultry products, dairy products, fruits and vegetables) and processed products (canned or frozen products). The office may also receive samples of raw and prepared meat for analysis. Most of the requests for information are related to food.
Existence of bilingual capacity required to provide continuous service in both official languages
There are about 78 positions in this office. There is only one bilingual position, the one for the laboratory reception desk. The receptionist position related to operations is not designated as bilingual, and it is currently vacant. The office was not able to tell us whether this position would eventually be designated as bilingual.
Presence of work tools required for provision of service in both official languages
According to the person we met, the office has almost never received correspondence in French. The office does not have a bilingual keyboard, but it does have computers on which the accents can be used. The office's fax cover sheets and business cards are bilingual.
Comparability of the service to the public in both official languages, and availability of administrative arrangements as necessary
The services provided in this office are not comparable nor equal in quality, because there is only one position designated as bilingual. Also, the duties of that position concern receiving visitors, not delivering services as such. However, the office has made an administrative arrangement with another Agency office, the one at the Harry Hays Building. That office has four or five bilingual positions that cover all areas of the Agency's activities.
C) Managers' Responsibilities
Knowledge of requirements regarding service to the public in both official languages
The planning and resources management officer we met was well aware of the office's language obligations. She told us that the demand for services in French at this office was very low.
Existence of controls to ensure service is always provided in both official languages
There are no controls to ensure that the service is always provided in both official languages. They did not know whether the Agency's head office conducted spot checks on official languages; in any case they had never heard of any.
Existence of mechanisms to assess client satisfaction
There are no mechanisms to assess client satisfaction.
Meetings with the representatives of the official language minority community
There are no formal meetings with the official language minority community.
Use of the media
The office visited does not use the media; the only possible advertisements would be related to staffing positions and would be made by the Public Service Commission or placed in specialized magazines or journals addressed to veterinarians, for example. The positions are generally advertised in both official languages.
Complaints concerning official languages
Last year there were no complaints related to official languages.
Changes since the last inspection
The last inspection was done in 1994; at that time these functions were performed by the Health Canada Health Protection Branch. Thus there is nothing for comparison with the present services.
Recommendations
Following the audit, it is recommended:
Customs Border Services
3033 34th Avenue N.E., Calgary
Burolis #: 11766
October 30, 2000
Audit results
A) Active Offer
Active offer on the telephone outside business hours
For the services provided by the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency at 3033 34th Avenue, the telephone number listed in the telephone directory is the toll-free number 1-800-959-2036. This is the number of the Tax Information Phone System (TIPS), an automated information system that automatically answers all calls received and provides general information 24 hours a day. This service is provided in both official languages, and the attendants indicate in both official languages the procedure for obtaining information.
Active offer on the telephone during business hours
By calling the above number during business hours it is possible to obtain services in both official languages, and there is an active offer of these services.
Active offer in person
We did not receive an active offer when we went to the counter. When we asked in French to speak to the manager, the attendant at the reception counter continued the conversation in French.
Visibility of the official languages symbol at all times
The official languages symbol is prominently displayed behind the counters; we also saw a number of others posted in the corridors and in the waiting room.
Postings in both official languages at all times
All postings and signage are completely bilingual.
Availability of publications in both official languages
All the documentation we examined was available in both official languages. It was mainly forms and pamphlets.
Use of both official languages on the Internet site
The Agency's Internet site (http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/) is fully bilingual and very user-friendly. It describes the full range of services provided by the Agency. It is easy to move from one language to the other by clicking on English or French in the main menu. That enables one to go directly from the content in one language to the same content in the other, without having to go through all the search stages again to find it. It does not go back to the first page, but directly to the corresponding page in the other language. There is no separate site for this Calgary office.
B) Service
Nature of the services provided by the office visited
This office often deals with importers, agents and insurance brokers who may be employed by insurance companies or brokers' firms, or self-employed workers. They often come to the office to handle their clients' imports or to clear goods through customs.
Existence of bilingual capacity required to provide continuous service in both official languages
The service is provided by about forty officers, three of them in bilingual positions. All these officers have at least B level, and their bilingualism tests are still valid. There is at least one employee who has a language exemption. In the next staffing actions, the bilingualism level for the positions will be raised to BBC. There are always bilingual personnel on duty, and all the employees ( including those who do not hold bilingual positions) are informed of their language obligations at least once a year. As an example, the Agency showed us a communiqué it had issued in July, reminding the employees to make certain that the bilingual postings were in full view and that the pamphlets were available in both official languages, to make an active offer, etc. At present there is one employee who has asked to take language training.
Presence of work tools required for provision of services in both official languages
There is not much correspondence in French, but Agency has all the work tools required to respond to it. The business cards, letterheads and fax cover sheets are fully bilingual.
Comparability of the service to the public in both official languages, and availability of administrative arrangements as necessary
We consider that the services to the public are comparable and equal in quality in both official languages. Most of the bilingual services are provided by employees who have the same level of skill in both official languages, and the presence of these employees is continuous. There is an administrative arrangement with the airport office if necessary.
C) Managers' Responsibilities
Knowledge of requirements regarding service to the public in both official languages
The managers we met were well aware of their official languages responsibilities.
Existence of controls to ensure service is always provided in both official languages
There are no specific control mechanisms in this office to ensure that service is always provided in both official languages. Management considers that the lack of complaints constitutes a form of control.
Existence of mechanisms to assess client satisfaction
The Agency always has available the slip entitled Your Opinion Counts. This bilingual questionnaire includes three questions related to official languages: the first asks the client in which language he or she has been served; the second asks whether the service was provided in the official language of his or her choice; and the third asks whether the client obtained the desired documentation. The Agency said that this questionnaire is hardly ever used now, since the office is no longer accessible to the public.
Meetings with the representatives of the official language minority community
There are no formal meetings with the representatives of the official language minority community.
Use of the media
This district office does not use the media. We were told that that is the responsibility of the regional office.
Complaints concerning official languages
There has been no complaint concerning official languages in the past year.
Changes since the last audit
The last audit was done in March 1996, and we noted that one bilingual position had been added to the organization. This represents a 50% increase in the bilingual staff. The quality of the services provided is consistent.
Recommendations
Following the audit, it is recommended:
900 Hastings Street West, Vancouver
Burolis #: 15038
October 19, 2000
Audit results
A) Active Offer
Active offer on the telephone outside business hours
The Bank of Canada is listed in the Vancouver telephone directory in both official languages. The number is a toll-free number, 1-800-303-1282. This is the general information number for the Bank of Canada, and there is a fully bilingual Call Answer system. The toll-free number for the Vancouver Regional Office is 1-800-388-8427, and there is also a fully bilingual Call Answer system.
Active offer on the telephone during business hours
During business hours there is an active offer and services in both official languages.
Active offer in person
On our audit visit we received an active offer and services in French.
Visibility of the official languages symbol at all times
We did not see an official languages symbol at the reception desk, but there is a sign clearly indicating that the services are available in both official languages.
Postings in both official languages at all times
The postings and signage are completely bilingual.
Availability of publications in both official languages
All publications used come from the head office and are available in both official languages. On our visit we found that the Vancouver office has a wide range of publications in French.
Use of both official languages on the Internet site
The Bank of Canada Internet site (http://www.bank-banque-canada.ca/) is fully bilingual and very user-friendly. It describes the full range of services provided by the Bank. There is no Internet site specific to the Vancouver office.
B) Service
Nature of the services provided by the office visited
The Bank of Canada is Canada's central bank; it is a Crown corporation created to be the sole issuer of bank notes and to facilitate the management of Canada's financial system. The Vancouver office is no longer considered a regional operations centre; it is now more like a small representative office. The employees often answer questions on such subjects as the mandate of the Bank of Canada, monetary policy, bank notes, counterfeit bills, bank services and debt management.
Existence of bilingual capacity required to provide continuous service in both official languages
There are only five employees in the Vancouver office, and three of them are completely bilingual. The other two employees can also manage in French. All the employees take about two hours of language training a week. Thus the office is fully capable of meeting its language obligations.
Presence of work tools required for provision of service in both official languages
The office is able to respond to all correspondence received in French. The keyboards available can reproduce the accents. The business cards, letterheads and fax cover sheets are bilingual.
Comparability of services to the public in both official languages, and availability of administrative arrangements as necessary
The services provided to the public are fully comparable and equal in quality in both official languages, since everyone speaks French.
C) Managers' Responsibilities
Knowledge of requirements regarding service to the public in both official languages
The manager we met is well aware of his official languages responsibilities, and he regularly tells the employees of their language obligations, such as making active offers on the telephone and in person. We were assured that when a position must be filled, knowledge of French was a factor taken into consideration. Also, the Bank of Canada official languages policy requires all Bank employees to have bilingual messages on their Call Answer systems.
Existence of controls to ensure service is always provided in both official languages
There are no controls to ensure that the service is always provided in both official languages, except the director's ongoing supervision. Management considers that the lack of complaints constitutes a form of control.
Existence of mechanisms to assess client satisfaction
There are no mechanisms to assess client satisfaction that are specific to the Vancouver office. No client satisfaction has been measured for incoming telephone calls or over-the-counter requests. However, the service provided to the local financial institutions is checked for client satisfaction periodically.
Meetings with the representatives of the official language minority community
There are no formal meetings with the official language minority community; however, management told us that they had contacts with the French-language chamber of commerce, and that they made presentations to it on occasion.
Use of the media
The Vancouver office does not use the media, but if it were to do so one day, it would ensure that the advertisements published in the newspapers were in both official languages.
Complaints concerning official languages
There has been no complaint concerning official languages in recent years.
Changes since the last inspection
The last inspection was done in 1997. The nature of the office has greatly changed since then, but that has not affected the language capability, which is still excellent.
Recommendations
No recommendations are necessary.
1150 Station Street, Vancouver
Burolis #: 30353
October 19, 2000
Audit results
A) ACTIVE OFFER
Active offer on the telephone outside business hours
VIA Rail Canada is listed in the Vancouver telephone directory at the toll-free number 1-800-561-8630. This is the general information number for VIA Rail Canada; it connects to a fully bilingual Call Answer system. The VIA Rail Canada Internet site also gives the toll-free number 1-888-VIARAIL for reservations; this number also has a fully bilingual Call Answer system.
Active offer on the telephone during business hours
Calls to either of these numbers during business hours are often routed to a Call Answer system. However, when one speaks to an attendant, there is an active offer and services in both official languages.
Active offer in person
On our audit visit we did not receive an active offer at the wicket, but it was possible to obtain services in French.
Visibility of the official languages symbol at all times
There was no official languages symbol at the wicket, but there was a sign indicating that services were available in both official languages.
Postings in both official languages at all times
The postings and signage are partially bilingual. Some notices or information are only partly translated, such as the ones for the lockers that can be rented temporarily. Other notices have errors in French; examples are: embarquement autorizé; Blue d'Argent et la classe économie, which should be: "autorisé; Bleu d'Argent et économique". Some notices are in English only, such as a notice concerning business hours.
Third parties under contract do not display bilingual menus (McDonald's and Cappucino Bar). The instructions on the dispensers (Nescafé) are partly bilingual, but the ones for the electronic games are unilingual English. The instructions for using the telephones (Telus) are bilingual, but the ones for the calling cards are not.
Availability of publications in both official languages
All publications used come from the head office and are available in both official languages. On our visit to the station we saw only timetables, and they were bilingual.
Use of both official languages on the Internet site
The VIA Rail Canada Internet site (http://www.viarail.ca/) is completely bilingual. It describes the full range of services provided by VIA. There is no specific Internet site for the Vancouver station.
B) SERVICE
Nature of the services provided by the office visited
The Vancouver station is intended for the travelling public in general. Trains used include the Canadian, the western transcontinental train that links Toronto and Vancouver.
Existence of bilingual capacity required to provide continuous service in both official languages
The language capability varies considerably depending on the tourist seasons (low or high). During low season there are three bilingual employees out of 10, while in high season there are 13 out of 25. We were told that the language skills of these employees were assessed on the telephone, and that the monitoring by the supervisor also makes it possible to measure their level of communication. Also, some employees are taking French courses, and management has made a number of diskettes available to them to help with their learning.
Presence of work tools required for provision of service in both official languages
The office is able to respond to all correspondence received in French. There are no bilingual keyboards, but the keyboards available can reproduce the accents. The business cards, letterheads and fax cover sheets are bilingual.
Comparability of services to the public in both official languages, and availability of administrative arrangements as necessary
The services provided to the public are not entirely comparable or equal in quality in both official languages, because the office cannot guarantee that bilingual employees will be on duty at all times.
C) Managers' Responsibilities
Knowledge of requirements regarding service to the public in both official languages
The head of customer service we met was well aware of her official languages responsibilities, especially for the service to the public provided by VIA employees. She was not aware of the language obligations of third parties under contract, and did not know whether their contracts included a language clause. She reports to a supervisor who works in Winnipeg.
Existence of controls to ensure service is always provided in both official languages
There are no controls to ensure that the service is always provided in both official languages, except for the supervision. Management considers that the lack of complaints constitutes a form of control.
Existence of mechanisms to assess client satisfaction
There are no mechanisms to assess client satisfaction that are specific to the Vancouver station. We were told that the Winnipeg customer service office conducted surveys from time to time, but management was unable to give us any results, and they did not know whether any survey questions concerned official languages.
Meetings with the representatives of the official language minority community
There are no formal meetings with the official language minority community.
Use of the media
The Vancouver station does not use the media. Advertisements related to jobs are made from Montreal, which handles human resources management.
Complaints concerning official languages
There has been no complaint concerning official languages in recent years.
Changes since the last audit
There have been no significant changes since the 1996 audit, particularly in the areas of active offer at the wickets, postings and the obligations of third parties under contract. However, there has been an improvement in active offer on the telephone, since VIA now provides toll-free numbers giving services in both official languages.
Recommendations
Following the audit, it is recommended:
Surrey Tax Centre
Burolis #: 89612
October 20, 2000
Audit results
A) Active Offer
Active offer on the telephone outside business hours
For the services provided by Canada Customs and Revenue Agency at the Surrey Tax Centre, the telephone number listed in the telephone directory is the toll-free number 1-800-959-5383. This is the number of the Tax Information Phone System (TIPS), an automated system that automatically answers all calls received and provides general information 24 hours a day. This service is provided in both official languages, and the attendants indicate in both official languages the procedure for obtaining information.
Active offer on the telephone during business hours
By calling the above number during business hours it is possible to obtain services in both official languages, and there is an active offer of these services.
Active offer in person
The public do not have access to the office visited, so active offer in person does not apply.
Visibility of the official languages symbol at all times
The public do not have access to the office visited, so visibility of the official languages symbol does not apply.
Postings in both official languages at all times
Even though the public do not have access to this office, much of the postings and signage are bilingual.
Availability of publications in both official languages
We were told that all the documentation was available in both official languages and that that it consisted of publications issued by head office.
Use of both official languages on the Internet site
The Agency's Internet site (http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/) is fully bilingual and very user-friendly. It describes the full range of services provided by the Agency. It is easy to move from one language to the other by clicking on English or French in the main menu. That enables one to go directly from the content in one language to the same content in the other, without having to go through all the search stages again to find it. It does not go back to the first page of the site, but directly to the corresponding page in the other language. There is no separate site for the Surrey Tax Centre.
B) Service
Nature of the services provided by the office visited
The office visited provides mainly services related to the programs involving tax returns; its contacts with the public and with companies are made mainly by telephone, and sometimes in writing.
Existence of bilingual capacity required to provide continuous service in both official languages
The bilingual service is provided by about ten officers occupying bilingual positions. All these officers have level C or language exemption. There are always bilingual personnel on duty, and all employees (including those not in bilingual positions) are informed of their language obligations once a year. The Agency regularly issues a communiqué listing the names and telephone numbers of the bilingual persons on duty; this communiqué also gives the instructions to follow if there is a request for services in French. The Agency also works closely with the regional advisor of the Official Languages Program, who provides judicious advice on service to the public in both official languages. At present there are about twenty employees taking language training courses part-time.
Presence of work tools required for provision of service in both official languages
There is not much correspondence in French, but the Agency has all the work tools for responding to it. If necessary, the Agency uses the service of the Translation Bureau for complex or technical interpretations. The business cards, letterheads and fax cover sheets are completely bilingual.
Comparability of services to the public in both official languages, and availability of administrative arrangements as necessary
We consider the services to the public comparable and equal in quality in both official languages. Most of the bilingual services are provided by employees who have the same level of skill in both official languages, and the presence of these employees is continuous.
C) Managers' Responsibilities
Knowledge of requirements regarding service to the public in both official languages
The manager we met was well aware of her official languages responsibilities.
Existence of controls to ensure service is always provided in both official languages
There are no regularly used control mechanisms other than the supervision; management considers that it does not need control mechanisms, since the office does not provide in-person services to the public, the services are provided mainly on the telephone and by correspondence, and it is thus able to determine the language in which its clients want to be served.
Existence of mechanisms to assess client satisfaction
The Agency still has available the slip entitled Your Opinion Counts. This bilingual questionnaire includes three questions related to official languages: the first asks the client in which language he or she was served; the second asks whether the service was provided in the official language of his or her choice; and the third asks whether the client obtained the desired documentation. The Agency said that this questionnaire is hardly ever used now, since the office is no longer accessible to the public.
Meetings with the representatives of the official language minority community
The Regional Advisor Official Languages is very pro-active in her contacts with the Vancouver and Surrey Francophone minority communities.
Use of the media
The office uses the media especially at tax time; there are advertisements in the English-language dailies and in the French-language newspapers (L'Express du Pacifique). The Agency also broadcasts advertisements (in English and in French) on the radio and television stations.
Complaints concerning official languages
There have been no complaints concerning official languages in the past year.
Changes since the last audit
The nature of the office has changed completely since the 1996 audit, since the office is no longer accessible to the public. Thus it is not appropriate to compare the delivery of services in both official languages.
Recommendations
No recommendations are necessary.
300 Georgia Street West, Vancouver
Burolis #: 15377
October 18, 2000
Audit results
A) Active Offer
Active offer on the telephone outside business hours
The Vancouver office of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada has a telephone number listed in the Vancouver telephone directory, in both official languages: 666-5496 (604). When we made our call outside business hours, we found that the telephone messages were fully bilingual and identical.
Active offer on the telephone during business hours
When we called the above number, there was no active offer, but we were able to obtain services in French.
Active offer in person
When we visited the reception desk we were not given an active offer, but the attendant was fully bilingual and was able to answer our questions in the language of our choice. He told us that there were almost never any clients who spoke to him in French, and that he sometimes forgot to make an active offer; however, he was always happy to be able to provide services in French. It should be mentioned that the employee at the reception desk is the only possible contact point for people from outside, since the public cannot access the office without first going to the reception desk.
Visibility of the official languages symbol at all times
There was an official languages symbol at the reception desk. There was no symbol in the documentation centre at the time of our audit but the manager told us that there is one there now.
Postings in both official languages at all times
The postings and signage are partially bilingual. Everything is bilingual at the reception desk, but at the documentation centre the notices concerning business hours and services to the public were unilingual English.
Availability of publications in both official languages
All publications used come from head office and are available in both official languages. These include guides, reference documents and various reports. Publications in the documentation centre that do not come from the IRB were available in the language of origin only.
Use of both official languages on the Internet site
The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Internet site (http://www.cisr.gc.ca/ ) is fully bilingual and very user-friendly. It describes the full range of services provided by the IRB. There is no specific reference to the Vancouver office.
B) Service
Nature of the services provided by the office visited
The Vancouver office has three divisions: the Convention Refugee Determination Division, the Immigration Appeal Division and the Adjudication Division. The Convention Refugee Determination Division hears only refugee status claims made by persons in Canada. The Immigration Appeal Division hears appeals of sponsored applications for permanent residence that have been denied. The Adjudication Division handles immigration-related requests for persons who are considered inadmissible to or removable from Canada under the Immigration Act.
Existence of bilingual capacity required to provide continuous service in both official languages
This office has about 100 positions, eight of them bilingual. The employees who occupy the bilingual positions have achieved level C, and their bilingualism tests are still valid. Both receptionists and the secretary are bilingual; there are also three officers and two other replacement employees who are bilingual. It should be mentioned that five of the 27 judges who sit on this administrative tribunal are bilingual. There was no bilingual employee at the documentation centre at the time of our visit; there was a bilingual employee available but not located physically in the document centre. All the employees are regularly informed of their language obligations.
Presence of work tools required for provision of service in both official languages
According to the manager we met, the office has the work tools required to
provide service in both official languages. The office has some bilingual
keyboards. The business cards and some fax cover sheets are bilingual. We noted
that the office occasionally used cover sheets that were not bilingual. We were
told that after the audit all fax cover sheet macros in the computer system have
been corrected and
are now bilingual.
Comparability of services to the public in both official languages, and availability of administrative arrangements as necessary
The services are essentially comparable and equal in quality, because there is always at least one bilingual employee on duty to provide service in both official languages. The office recently went from one bilingual position to eight bilingual positions, so that it can provide continuous service.
C) Managers' Responsibilities
Knowledge of requirements regarding service to the public in both official languages
The manager we met was well aware of his office's official languages obligations.
Existence of controls to ensure service is always provided in both official languages
There are no controls to ensure that service is always provided in both official languages. The manager considers that the lack of complaints constitutes a form of control.
Existence of mechanisms to assess client satisfaction
There are no mechanisms to assess client satisfaction.
Meetings with the representatives of the official language minority community
There are no formal meetings with the official language minority community.
Use of the media
The regional office does not use the media. When there are newspaper advertisements, they are prepared by head office, and they are bilingual.
Complaints concerning official languages
There have been no complaints concerning official languages in recent years.
Changes since the last audit
The last audit was conducted in March 1996. The situation has improved in recent years: the number of bilingual positions has risen from one to eight. However, the situation at the documentation centre is still precarious, because there is no bilingual employee on duty.
Recommendations
Following the audit, it is recommended:
300 Georgia Street West, Vancouver
Burolis #: 15588
October 18, 2000
Audit results
A) Active Offer
Active offer on the telephone outside business hours
The telephone number for Canadian Heritage, listed in the Vancouver telephone directory in both official languages, is 666-0176 (604). When we made our call outside business hours, the telephone message was completely bilingual.
Active offer on the telephone during business hours
When we called the above number, we received an active offer and services in French.
Active offer in person
When we visited the reception desk, we received an active offer and services in French.
Visibility of the official languages symbol at all times
There was an official languages symbol at the reception desk. We also found a number of symbols inside the Canadian Heritage offices.
Postings in both official languages at all times
The postings and signage were entirely bilingual. All temporary, permanent and hand-written notices were in both official languages.
Availability of publications in both official languages
There are no local publications. All publications used come from head office and are available in both official languages. They include documents on multiculturalism, cultural industries, arts policy and official languages. The documentation available in the office was either bilingual or published in both English and French.
Use of both official languages on the Internet site
The Canadian Heritage Internet site (http://www.pch.gc.ca/) is completely bilingual and very user-friendly. It describes the full range of services provided by the Department. There is no specific Internet site for the Vancouver office, but there are regular references to the regional offices at various places on the national site. Often it even identifies a number of contact points, indicating their functions and providing their E-mail addresses, so it is possible to contact an officer in the regional office directly.
B) Service
Nature of the services provided by the office visited
The Vancouver office is a regional office, and it provides the full range of programs and services, such as national policies and programs on broadcasting, the cultural industries, the arts, heritage, official languages, Canadian identity, Canadian symbols, multiculturalism, etc.
Existence of bilingual capacity required to provide continuous service in both official languages
This office has about 40 positions, 27 of which are bilingual. The employees occupying the bilingual positions have achieved level C, and a number even have language exemption; there is only one employee who has not yet achieved level C. These employees' bilingualism tests are still valid. The manager we met nevertheless told us that it was hard to recruit bilingual employees in a context where other factors, like diversity and representation of Aboriginal peoples, also had to be taken into account.
Presence of work tools required for provision of service in both official languages
According to the manager we met, the office has all the work tools required to provide the service in both official languages. The office has bilingual keyboards. The business cards, letterheads and fax cover sheets are all bilingual.
Comparability of services to the public in both official languages, and availability of administrative arrangements as necessary
The services provided are comparable and equal in quality, because there are always a number of bilingual employees on duty to provide service in both official languages, at all times of day.
C) Managers' Responsibilities
Knowledge of requirements regarding service to the public in both official languages
The manager we met was well aware of her office official languages obligations.
Existence of controls to ensure service is always provided in both official languages
There are no specific controls to ensure that service is always provided in both official languages. The manager considers that the lack of complaints constitutes a form of control, and that the large number of bilingual positions provides a guarantee that the services are always available in both official languages.
Existence of mechanisms to assess client satisfaction
There are no mechanisms to assess client satisfaction.
Meetings with the representatives of the official language minority community
Given its mandate, Canadian Heritage maintains very good relations with the official language minority communities.
Use of the media
The regional offices uses the media. Canadian Heritage publishes advertisements in such newspapers as L'Express du Pacifique; its advertisements are published in English or in French, depending on the newspaper used. Canadian Heritage also uses radio and television (CBC - English and French) to inform the population of certain events.
Complaints concerning official languages
There have been no complaints concerning official languages in recent years.
Changes since the last inspection
The nature of the services has changed somewhat since the last inspection (May 1997), because at that time Canadian Heritage also looked after the national parks. We found that the number of bilingual positions has increased from 15 to 27. Thus the language capacity is greater than in the past. At the last inspection, Canadian Heritage was fulfilling all its official languages obligations very well; the same situation prevails today.
Recommendations
No recommendations are necessary.
Langley Detachment
Burolis #: 30349
October 19, 2000
Audit results
A) Active Offer
Active offer on the telephone outside business hours
The telephone number for the RCMP Langley Detachment is listed in the Vancouver telephone directory as 532-3200 (604). The office is open 24 hours a day, so it is impossible to check whether an active offer is given outside business hours.
Active offer on the telephone during business hours
When we called the above number, there was no active offer, but it was possible to obtain services in French.
Active offer in person
When we went to the reception desk, we did not receive an active offer or services in French. The manager told us that there was no active offer, and that if someone wanted services in French, the person had to wait until an officer was available. A detachment employee telephones a bilingual officer, and that person provides the service on the telephone or in person if necessary. There may be a wait of about thirty minutes.
Visibility of the official languages symbol at all times
We did not see an official languages symbol at the reception desk, or anywhere else in the Langley detachment offices.
Postings in both official languages at all times
The postings and signage are partly bilingual. Very little information in French is available. For example, at the building entrance, the hours and days of operation are posted in English only. There is also the following statement, in English only: "For confidentiality, please form a line here". The building itself is identified only in English: Langley Police Building. Inside, the temporary and permanent notices were in English only.
Availability of publications in both official languages
The documentation available was in English only; it included pamphlets on crime prevention and on the block parent program. There was no documentation in French.
Use of both official languages on the Internet site
The RCMP Internet site (http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/) is completely bilingual. It describes the full range of services provided by Canada's national police force. In the important notices given on the first page of the site, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police issue a notice related to official languages; it says that it is "bound by the Official Languages Act and relevant Treasury Board policies and all Royal Canadian Mounted Police Site information is available in both French and English. However, users should be aware that some information on external sites to which we link is available only in the language in which it was provided."
There is a specific Internet site for the Langley Detachment: (http://langleyrcmp.uniserve.com/); this site is undergoing some changes and is not currently available. The message states that the changes could take several months. The site was unilingual English.
B) Service
Nature of the services provided by the office visited
The mandate of the RCMP is based on the authority and responsibilities conferred on it by section 18 of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act: enforce the laws, prevent crime, preserve peace, order and security. In Langley, the RCMP provides police services to the municipality under contract.
Existence of bilingual capacity required to provide continuous service in both official languages
The Langley Detachment has approximately 153 employees, 60 of whom are attached to the municipality. There are no positions designated as bilingual in this detachment. The manager we met said that there were bilingual employees, and that there was always one on duty on all shifts. We were told that the demand for services in French was minimal, and that most people spoke English in Langley. If necessary, the Detachment would call on interpreters in an emergency. They were not able to tell us whether any employees were taking French courses.
Presence of work tools required for provision of service in both official languages
According to the manager we met, the Detachment would take the necessary action to respond to correspondence in French. The business cards are unilingual English. The manager told us that the audit should take into account the context in Langley, where there are almost no Francophones.
Comparability of services to the public in both official languages, and availability of administrative arrangements as necessary
The services provided to the public are neither comparable nor equal in quality in both official languages, because of the waiting time and the lack of documentation in French.
C) Managers' Responsibilities
Knowledge of requirements regarding service to the public in both official languages
The manager we met was not that well aware of her official languages obligations, but she knew that the RCMP had an official languages policy.
Existence of controls to ensure service is always provided in both official languages
There are no specific controls to ensure that the service is always provided in both official languages. The manager considers that the lack of complaints constitutes a form of control.
Existence of mechanisms to assess client satisfaction
There are no mechanisms to assess client satisfaction.
Meetings with the representatives of the official language minority community
There are no contacts with the representatives of the official language minority community.
Use of the media
The Detachment hardly ever uses the media, but when its does, it is in English only.
Complaints concerning official languages
There have been no complaints concerning official languages in recent years.
Changes since the last audit
The last audit was conducted in March 1996, and at that time there was one bilingual employee in the secretarial service. Just under 20% of the officers were bilingual; that is no longer the case now. There has been no improvement in the presence of French in terms of postings, publications or active offer. Since our audit visit we have been advised that the RCMP has asked the Treasury Board for an interpretation of this office's language responsibilities, alleging that the only obligation was for the services provided at the Old Fort Langley historic site under the Official Languages Regulations for nature of the office. If the RCMP interpretation is accepted, all the elements audited at the Langley office will have to be revised. Thus the auditors are unable to make recommendations until this situation is resolved.
Recommendations
Because of the RCMP's request to the Treasury Board for an
interpretation, the auditors are not able to make recommendations.
1821 Wellington Avenue, Winnipeg
Burolis #: 10225
November 16, 2000
Audit results
A) Active Offer
Active offer on the telephone outside business hours
There is a telephone number for this office in the Winnipeg telephone directory:
883-6004 (204). This is the same number as the one in Burolis. Outside business hours there is a telephone message indicating that this number is not in service at the time of the call, but this message is in English only.
Active offer on the telephone during business hours
We were given an active offer and obtained services in French when we did our telephone audit.
Active offer in person
When we made our visit we were greeted in both official languages and the employee asked us (in French) to take a seat while he went to get the manager. The manager told us that there was no active offer when clients are known to the employees. This is an office with a clientele of assiduous clients.
Visibility of the official languages symbol at all times
At the reception counter, there is a symbol and a sign indicating that one can be served in both official languages.
Postings in both official languages at all times
Postings outside and inside the building are in both official languages; this is also the case with respect to signage.
Availability of publications in both official languages
All the documentation we examined was available in both official languages. This was mainly forms and pamphlets.
Use of both official languages on the Internet site
The Agency Internet site (http://www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca/) is fully bilingual and very user-friendly. It describes the full range of services provided by the Agency.
B) Service
Nature of the services provided by the office visited
This office often does business with importers, agents and insurance brokers who may be salaried employees of an insurance company or brokerage firm, or self-employed. They often come to the office to look after their clients' importations. This office has a good knowledge of its clientele. Registration of boats in the spring represents a very busy time for this office.
Existence of bilingual capacity required to provide continuous service in both official languages
The office has some thirty employees, 17 of whom serve the public. There are six bilingual positions. Most of the bilingual positions are occupied by Francophones and they exceed the linguistic profile of their positions. The office considers that it has no problem being able to provide service to the public in both official languages, especially since all the employees are experienced; indeed, the bilingual employee with the least seniority has been there since 1994. The manager told us that there was always a bilingual employee on duty and that he took bilingualism into account in approving his employees' vacations.
Presence of work tools required for provision of service in both official languages
The manager feels that correspondence in French is fairly rare. Nevertheless, he has available everything required (bilingual keyboards, bilingual business cards, letterhead, fax cover sheets, etc.) should the need arise.
Comparability of the service to the public in both official languages, and availability of administrative arrangements as necessary
The manager says that service to the public is of equal quality in both official languages; all his staff assigned to service to the public is very experienced. In his fourteen years of experience at this office he has never needed to resort to administrative arrangements to offer service in both official languages.
C) Managers' Responsibilities
Knowledge of requirements regarding service to the public in both official languages
The manager is well aware of his responsibilities and says the same is true for his employees. He adds that he no longer needs to remind them of their obligations, and that this is now part of their daily routine.
Existence of controls to ensure service is always provided in both official languages
The manager thinks that the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages conducts specific audits and that he must be getting good results since he has heard nothing about it.
Existence of mechanisms to assess client satisfaction
The manager sometimes uses the form Your Opinion Counts; this contains questions on language of service. The manager does not recall receiving any negative comments in this regard. The complaints have to do mainly with the parking lot and the length of the wait before being served.
Meetings with the representatives of the official language minority community
The office maintains informal relations with members of the minority Francophone community. The manager says that his office sometimes takes part in workshops offered by small businesses, and that he also takes part in ceremonies honouring certain members of the Francophone community. The manager also mentions that he welcomes French-language schools that wish to visit or obtain information on customs.
Use of the media
The office does not use the media but would use La Liberté if it wanted to reach the Francophone community.
Complaint relating to official languages
In recent years this office has not received any complaint relating to official languages.
Changes since the last audit
The last audit goes back to 1996; the office has a new address but the situation is basically the same with respect to the linguistic capacity of employees and the quality of services offered in French.
Recommendations
No recommendations are necessary.
344 Edmonton Street, Winnipeg, MacDonald Building
Burolis #: 10202
November 19, 2000
Audit results
A) Active Offer
Active offer on the telephone outside business hours
The number 983-2486 (204) is published in the Winnipeg telephone directory and pre-recorded messages are provided in both official languages.
Active offer on the telephone during business hours
We were given an active offer and services in both official languages when we made our audit call.
Active offer in person
When we visited the Winnipeg office, the reception clerk greeted us in both official languages. She was new to the job and she was bilingual.
Visibility of the official languages symbol at all times
The symbol is clearly visible at the reception counter.
Postings in both official languages at all times
All signage and postings are in both official languages.
Availability of publications in both official languages
All publications are available in both official languages. They come from headquarters. The PSC has established, in partnership with the City of Winnipeg and the provincial government, a type of single window called Access 123; this system provides information on employment opportunities in Canada, the Government of Manitoba and the City of Winnipeg. Documentation related to Access 123 is available in both official languages. Access 123 is reached by dialling 984-4636 (204); services are available in both official languages.
Use of both official languages on the Internet site
The PSC Internet site http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/ is fully bilingual and there is a section related to Manitoba; this section is also available in both official languages.
B) Service
Nature of the services provided by the office visited
The office visited is the regional office for the central Prairies region, and serves Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The services offered are related mainly to staffing, training, language training, appeals and investigations, finance, etc. The services that the public uses mostly are those that come from the Internet site and telephone enquiries; an estimated 4000 transactions are carried out each month in one of these services.
Existence of bilingual capacity required to provide continuous service in both official languages.
There are only three employees who provide services to the public; these positions are designated bilingual, and they are all occupied by incumbents who are bilingual to level CCC. The PSC is therefore able to provide service to the public in both official languages.
Presence of work tools required for provision of service in both official languages
The PSC has all the work tools required to be able to provide the public with service in both official languages.
Comparability of the service to the public in both official languages, and availability of administrative arrangements as necessary
Service in both official languages is comparable, given that all employees who serve the public are bilingual. Also, the PSC has on site 10 other employees who are bilingual; they do not serve the public directly, but provide their services in other departments. Thus there is a more than adequate reserve of employees capable of dealing with an urgent situation, if one were to arise.
C) Managers' Responsibilities
Knowledge of requirements regarding service to the public in both official languages
The managers are very well aware of their official languages responsibilities and are very proud of the quality of their services in this regard.
Existence of controls to ensure service is always provided in both official languages
There is no formal control mechanism for ensuring that service is always provided both official languages. The manager feels, however, that in his role as supervisor he is able to observe that the services provided are appropriate.
Existence of mechanisms to assess client satisfaction
There are no mechanisms to assess client satisfaction apart from an electronic survey dealing with the Web site (navigation, use, speed, accessibility, etc.). The survey is available in both official languages but does not contain any questions relating to official languages; the manager thinks that in the comments section, there has never been anything at all related to official languages.
Meetings with the representatives of the official language minority community
PSC management maintains frequent contacts with the official language minority communities, mainly with the Collège St-Boniface, the Chambre de commerce and the community radio station.
Use of the media
Use of the media is minimal, but the manager assured us that when the media had been used (for recruitment purposes) in recent years, the French-language press had been used on the same basis at the English-language press.
Complaint relating to official languages
There have not been any complaints about official languages in recent years.
Changes since the last inspection
The last inspection dates back to 1994. The situation has not really changed with respect to the capacity to provide services to the public in both official languages. The services are still provided in a manner comparable to the situation in 1994.
Recommendations
No recommendations are necessary.
Headquarters, "D" Division
10091 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg
Burolis #: 10302A
November 21, 2000
Audit results
A) Active Offer
Active offer on the telephone outside business hours
There are several telephone numbers in the city telephone directory. Since the office is open 24 hours a day, it is impossible to check whether there is an active offer outside of working hours.
Active offer on the telephone during business hours
At the general information number 983-5420 (204), which is the same as the number in Burolis, there is no active offer or service in French. Upon hearing the auditor speak French, the person who answered the telephone transferred the call to the communication unit, where there was also neither a greeting nor service in French.
Active offer in person
There was no active offer of service at the information counter located at the entrance to the building.
Visibility of the official languages symbol at all times
The official languages pictogram is prominently displayed at the reception counter.
Postings in both official languages at all times
All signage and postings at the entrance to the building are bilingual.
Availability of publications in both official languages
There is no display rack in the lobby of the building, but all postings are in both official languages.
Use of both official languages on the Internet site
The RCMP Internet site (http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/) is fully bilingual. It describes the full range of services provided by this federal national police force. In the Important Notices on the first page of the site, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police states the following about official languages: it "is bound by the Official Languages Act and relevant Treasury Board policies and all Royal Canadian Mounted Police Site information is available in both French and English. However, users should be aware that some information on external sites to which we link is available only in the language in which it was provided." There is no separate site for the Winnipeg office.
B) Service
Nature of the services provided by the office visited
A panoply of services is offered by the office: besides native policing services and air services, which do not deal with the public, the RCMP consists of the Customs and Excise sector and the commercial crime sector, which work mainly at the border, the community policing sector, which works with the general public, the drug awareness sector, which provides training to other police forces, the major crimes sector and the recruitment sector.
Existence of bilingual capacity required to provide continuous service in both official languages
Out of a total of 400 positions, there are 18 bilingual positions which are spread among the sectors that have contacts with the public: three bilingual positions in the major crime sector, two bilingual positions in the Customs and Excise sector, a number in the Drugs section and two bilingual positions in the commercial crime sector. In the community policing sector there are currently no bilingual positions, but the impact of the Chartier report means that some will have to be identified. There are two bilingual positions in the recruitment sector.
Presence of work tools required for provision of service in both official languages
Translation services are used to reply to correspondence in French. There were no other work tools except dictionaries and reference manuals in French available to employees. Business cards are bilingual.
Comparability of the service to the public in both official languages, and availability of administrative arrangements as necessary
Unilingual employees have a small card stating "je ne parle pas français" but only very rarely is it necessary to refer someone to a bilingual employee. When there are specific requests, such as a presentation to be made at a school, a bilingual person is sent, regardless of whether that person's position is bilingual. There are a number of bilingual persons who are not necessarily in bilingual positions. No specific audit is done to determine whether services are comparable in both official languages.
C) Managers' Responsibilities
Knowledge of requirements regarding service to the public in both official languages
Management can use the services of an official languages co-ordinator, whose primary duty is to ensure the proper identification of positions. This person is also responsible for reminding staff of their language obligations on visits to the various detachments, and for ensuring that third parties whose contracts contain language clauses fulfil their obligations. Management provides language training to some 30 employees, three to four hours a week.
Existence of controls to ensure service is always provided in both official languages
The person responsible for official languages works in conjunction with the detachment commanders on an informal basis.
Existence of mechanisms to assess client satisfaction
In view of the RCMP's field of activities, there is no mechanism to assess client satisfaction.
Meetings with the representatives of the official language minority community
The official languages co-ordinator of the Division knows the representatives of the community, and more formal meetings are held in connection with meetings with provincial representatives regarding the Saint-Pierre-Jolys project. Also, the RCMP has an entry in the community directory.
Use of the media
The office publishes in the Société franco-manitobaine (SFM) directory, and recruitment campaigns are advertised in both the Winnipeg Free Press and La Liberté.
Complaint relating to official languages
There have been no complaints since 1999, although some earlier complaints have yet to be fully resolved, such as the complaints about traffic violations.
Changes since the last audit
In the 1996 audit there was an active offer on the telephone at the major service points, including the communication centre, during working hours; only an 800 number was identified in the Blue Pages of the telephone directory. The auditors at that time expressed concern about the comparability of services in both official languages, fearing that there was some delay in the provision of services in French. In light of the observations in this audit, we share these concerns, and we noted some deterioration in active offer.
Recommendations
Following the audit, it is recommended:
250 Graham Avenue, Winnipeg
Rooms 250 and 712
Burolis #: 88523
November 20, 2000
Audit results
A) Active Offer
Active offer on the telephone outside business hours
The recorded message at (204) 983-4472 is in both official languages and gives exactly the same information.
Active offer on the telephone during business hours
There is an active offer and an offer of service in the language of the caller's choice.
Active offer in person
The receptionist working in room 250 makes an active offer of services in both official languages. This is also the main entrance for visitors to the Manitoba Business Services Centre.
Visibility of the official languages symbol at all times
The pictogram is prominently displayed.
Postings in both official languages at all times
All postings, either in the corridors or in the reception area, are in both official languages. The only exception is the training course calendar, which is in English only; on it there is a note in French indicating where to go to obtain a calendar of sessions in French.
Availability of publications in both official languages
All documents on the display racks are in both official languages.
Use of both official languages on the Internet site
The new Internet site (http://www.wd.gc.ca/eng/default.htm) is fully bilingual. It describes WD's mandate, activities and major events, and provides information on the Infrastructure Canada Program.
B) Service
Nature of the services provided by the office visited
The office provides professional business consulting services to small and medium-sized businesses. For example, it works with women who have businesses, and it very recently started offered training sessions for these businesses, in conjunction with the Business Services Centre. The office works together with the Manitoba Federal Council and the province's business centres. It works very closely with the federal minister responsible for the West.
Existence of bilingual capacity required to provide continuous service in both official languages
The office has 75 employees, to which must be added the 12 employees who work at the Business Service Centre. Among the 75 employees in the office per se, about 70 have contacts with the public, including 25 officers responsible for portfolios. There are 27 bilingual positions for all services and there are 22 bilingual incumbents; there are no unilingual incumbents; and five bilingual positions are vacant.
Presence of work tools required for provision of service in both official languages
Business cards and fax cover sheets are bilingual. Keyboards can be used in either official language. Unilingual employees who need to reply to correspondence in French can use translation services. All documentation to be given to clients is bilingual.
Comparability of the service to the public in both official languages, and availability of administrative arrangements as necessary
There are no specific mechanisms for monitoring the comparability of services, but the managers have ensured that all employees in each specialty know the persons who can provide services in the minority language. Also, portfolios are assigned on the basis of the client's language.
C) Managers' Responsibilities
Knowledge of requirements regarding service to the public in both official languages
There is no internal policy on official languages. Use is made of the Treasury Board Secretariat policies, which managers and employees can access through the Intranet. As well, in order to fulfil its obligations, management offers language proficiency upgrading at the workplace: two and a half hours, one day a week. Currently there are 12 to 15 staff taking training. Management is aware of its linguistic responsibilities and has taken the necessary steps to meet them.
Existence of controls to ensure service is always provided in both official languages
Internal monitoring of the provision of services in French is the responsibility of the regional official languages co-ordinator, who monitors postings and active offer.
Existence of mechanisms to assess client satisfaction
There are no specific mechanisms to assess client satisfaction. It is assumed that persons who are not satisfied will contact the manager.
Meetings with the representatives of the official language minority community
The staff of the office is involved in implementing Part VII of the Act, and in this connection there are frequent meetings with representatives of the official language minority community.
Use of the media
Though it was not possible to indicate the extent to which the staff uses the minority language press, it was confirmed to us that officials of the office held press conferences for both linguistic communities and that the person who organized these conferences (as well as the support staff of the communications branch) was completely bilingual. We were also told that all articles, advertisements, news releases, publications, etc. were presented in bilingual format or placed in an equivalent French publication.
Complaint relating to official languages
The manager contacted had not heard of any complaints relating to official languages.
Changes since the last inspection
In the 1994 inspection, the office had 50 employees, 5 of whom were bilingual. There was only one bilingual portfolio officer. The situation has thus improved in terms of linguistic capacity as well as relations with the official language minority communities.
Recommendations
No recommendations are necessary.
1031 Autumnwood Drive, Winnipeg
Burolis #: 88073
November 21, 2000
Audit results:
A) Active Offer
Active offer on the telephone signage
In the Winnipeg telephone directory there are several telephone numbers for this HRDC office. We dialled two at random: 983-4663 (204) which gives a fully bilingual message on employment insurance (on a Call Answer system). We also dialled 984-0900 (204); at this number there is a Call Answer system on employment; this system is fully bilingual and is offered both by the Manitoba provincial government and the federal government.
Active offer on the telephone during business hours
There are several telephone numbers in the directory, often one number for each area of federal responsibility. The numbers are properly identified as to whether service is available in French or in English. Everywhere there is an active offer.
Active offer in person
The reception office provides a greeting in both official languages to visitors seeking information on both provincial and federal services.
Visibility of the official languages symbol at all times
The Treasury Board official languages pictogram is highly visible.
Postings in both official languages at all times
All outside and inside postings are bilingual.
Availability of publications in both official languages
Display racks present documentation from the federal department in both official languages equally. It was pointed out to us that the provincial documentation on topics covered at the time of devolution was bilingual; however, there is unilingual documentation when the documentation from the province covers other subjects not covered at the time of devolution.
Use of both official languages on the Internet site
The HRDC Internet site (http://www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/) is fully bilingual and contains a note stating that some hyperlinks are available only in their original language. The site lists the full range of services offered by the department. We also noted that there was no separate site for this Winnipeg office. The Internet site does, however, make reference to other offices, the ones located on Henderson Highway, Portage Avenue and Manitoba Avenue.
B) Service
Nature of the services provided by the office visited
Following devolution, the office provides both federal and provincial services. However, front-line service is provided by federal employees; this includes the reception service, which makes appointments with employment counsellors who are under provincial jurisdiction. The office serves the entire Francophone population of the City of Winnipeg; the department's other three offices do not have a linguistic obligation, but the forms they have are bilingual. Hence, if a form is filled out in French, the client is referred to the office visited, which follows up.
One of the programs offered by the office is the youth labour market awareness program. This program was initially developed by the provincial Department of Education and was offered only in English. The HRDC office has therefore provided a French-language counterpart: in co-operation with the Collège de Saint Boniface and with the help of contract staff, the Centre has created an interactive program on CD-ROM which provides, in French, the same services as those offered by the province in English. The office is also especially active at career fairs where is provides a Francophone presence; for example, a "health in French" booth was set up which described the various career opportunities in both the city and the country. The office's main role is to receive employers' requests for workers and to refer to them persons who are seeking work. Employment insurance-related work is also significant.
Existence of bilingual capacity required to provide continuous service in both official languages
The office has 45 employees, 25 of whom work for the federal government. Twenty-two (22) of these 25 employees have bilingual positions at level C, and the employees meet or exceed the language requirements of their position. The two unilingual employees do not deal with the public, and work either in information technology or in administration.
Presence of work tools required for provision of service in both official languages
All the federal documentation distributed to the public is bilingual, as are the internal procedures manuals used by departmental officers. The officers have access to a bilingual keyboard, and business cards and fax cover sheets are in both official languages.
Comparability of the service to the public in both official languages, and availability of administrative arrangements as necessary
In view of the number of bilingual employees, no administrative arrangements have been required. Client service is monitored continually. Since all services are available in both languages, it is considered that services are comparable and of equal quality.
C) Managers' Responsibilities
Knowledge of requirements regarding service to the public in both official languages
The managers in the office visited are very well aware of their official languages responsibilities for both active offer and delivery of services. Moreover, since this office for all practical purposes serves the province's entire Francophone population, the other offices seem to have acquired the habit of consulting it. They thereby ensure that the services provided in English are also provided in French. A case in point is a Web site that advertised a career symposium sponsored by the Rotary Club; the head office that published this site consulted the Saint-Boniface office so that the site would also be in French. The managers keep well abreast of what is happening in the work environment in the province and ensure that what goes on in English also goes on in French.
Existence of controls to ensure service is always provided in both official languages
All employees have been notified to make an active offer both on the telephone and in person. The only exception tolerated is when the officer knows the client's preferred language, in which case he or she speaks to the client in his/her language. There are no official language monitoring mechanisms; supervisors monitor the situation as part of their duties and, since they are fluently bilingual, they are able to properly evaluate the situation.
Existence of mechanisms to assess client satisfaction
There is a box for comments at the reception counter, but there is no specific question on the linguistic quality of services. However, there has never been a negative comment about the comparability of services in French or in English.
Meetings with the representatives of the official language minority community
Since devolution, the office has been managing fewer programs, and there are fewer opportunities for formal meetings with the community, but the staff of the office has close contacts with minority community organizations (like the Collège de Saint-Boniface) for organizing specific events.
It should be noted that the managers at the office were congratulated on their dedication during the flood that struck the area in 1999. At that time HRDC opened a temporary office on the site of the emergency centre. All departmental offices supplied employees seven days a week, 12 hours a day. Since most of the citizens affected were Francophones, the work schedule was rearranged to ensure the ongoing presence of bilingual employees.
Use of the media
The regional office looks after communications with the media. For matters of general interest, the majority-language newspapers are used, along with La Liberté and Radio-Canada. For information concerning only the office visited, the managers ensure that both the French-language and English-language media are used.
Complaint concerning official languages
There were no complaints about the office visited. However, the managers did have to resolve two complaints about 1-800 numbers. They were responsible for this even though they were not the source of these numbers; they are deemed to have responsibility for everything to do with official languages.
Changes since the last audit
The audit done in 1996 reported only one deficiency: the quality of French in job offers in French. In our visual audit of the data banks available at the entrance to the office, we did not find any anomalies. The situation is now praiseworthy.
Recommendations
No recommendations are necessary.
123 Main Street, Winnipeg
Burolis #: 1468
November 20, 2000
Audit results
A) Active Offer
Active offer on the telephone outside business hours
For the train station, the city telephone directory gives only a 1-800 number and the number (949-7481) for baggage. At the number for baggage there is no service in French outside normal working hours, but there is an active offer at the 1-800 number; if the call is routed to a Call Answer system, the recorded message is available in both official languages.
Active offer on the telephone during business hours
There is an active offer at the two numbers shown in the directory.
Active offer in person
There is no verbal active offer by the commissionaire on duty at the information booth, and there is also no verbal active offer at the ticket counter.
Visibility of the official languages symbol at all times
At the entrance to the train station, there is no pictogram at the information booth, though there is one at the ticket sales counter.
Postings in both official languages at all times
Outside postings are bilingual; however, we noted that the site plan posted in the lobby of the train station was unilingual. Elsewhere postings are bilingual, or pictograms are used. The sign explaining how to use the carts is unilingual.
Availability of publications in both official languages
There were no publications to be seen when we made our visit. We saw only timetables, and these were bilingual.
Use of both official languages on the Internet site
The VIA Rail Canada Internet site (http://www.viarail.ca/) is fully bilingual.. It lists the full range of services provided by VIA. There is no separate site for the Winnipeg train station.
B) Service
Nature of the services provided by the office visited
VIA manages the train station services and provides services to travellers: train timetable, ticket sales and baggage management. There is also a snack bar managed by a concessionnaire. The contract between the concessionnaire and VIA contains a clause stating that all documentation intended for the public must be bilingual.
The train station snack bar complies with this clause since all menus are posted in both official languages. The service is unilingual English.
Existence of bilingual capacity required to provide continuous service in both official languages
Aside from the large number of employees who work on board the trains, the train station has 26 employees, 11 of whom are in direct contact with the public. Only one of the employees who are in direct contact with the public is bilingual. He is generally assigned to the ticket sales counter. During peak season, bilingual students are hired.
Presence of work tools required for provision of service in both official languages
The train timetable is bilingual, as are the tickets. There is no other documentation. Business cards are bilingual also.
Comparability of the service to the public in both official languages, and availability of administrative arrangements as necessary
The service provided to the public in both official languages is not fully comparable or equal in quality, as there is no active offer and also no continuous service. When the person at the wicket is unilingual, there is an administrative arrangement whereby he can request help from one of two bilingual clerks, but there is a waiting time. Note that VIA has been providing language training since last year through an arrangement with a local language school: cyclical courses offered at two weeks per cycle. Two persons are currently on language training.
C) Managers' Responsibilities
Knowledge of requirements regarding service to the public in both official languages
While there is high awareness of linguistic obligations on board the trains and at the ticket counter, as well as obligations relating to postings in the train station, we had to issue a reminder about the obligation of active offer at the information booth and the ticket counter. The manager feels, however, that the staff at the information counter are hired for security purposes and not to provide the public with information about train station activities. They were also unable to tell us whether the service contract contained a language clause. Nevertheless, the fact remains that these persons are often the first point of contact with the travelling public.
Existence of controls to ensure service is always provided in both official languages
There is no formal control system.
Existence of mechanisms to assess client satisfaction.
VIA has a comments card to monitor client satisfaction with the services provided on the telephone in connection with reserving tickets, train station services, and services on board the trains. This questionnaire includes specific questions on the language of service.
Meetings with the representatives of the official language minority community
There are no meeting with minority language associations. However, some schools request visits, and VIA is able to accommodate them in both French and English: two employees are able to provide these services in French.
Use of the media
All advertising is from head office, including the wording of job offers. Job offers are published in the newspapers by the local office; the English-language media and La Liberté would be used, but this has not happened recently.
Complaint related to official languages
There had been no complaint relating to official languages for the train station. The manager ascribes this situation to use of the 1-800 number and to the effectiveness of the administrative arrangements.
Changes since the last audit
The audit done in 1996 dealt only with the train station's concessionnaires. At that time it was noted that the interim contract did not contain a language clause.
Recommendations
Following the audit, it is recommended:
List of associations consulted in the audit
