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Backgrounder

Official Languages Program Transformation Model

BG-06.026 - November 29, 2006

The Department of National Defence (DND) has just released its new strategic plan for official languages – the National Defence Official Languages Program Transformation Model.  This Transformation Model establishes DND’s official languages strategic vision and outlines the road map to achieve it. 

The Transformation Model will ensure that linguistically qualified civilian and military personnel are provided in the right place and the right time to effectively support Canadian Forces (CF) operations and comply with the Official Languages Act (OLA).

The Transformation Model will establish an enhanced OLA awareness and education program to ensure civilian and military personnel are aware of their linguistic rights and obligations, and it will implement a performance measurement system to monitor the success of all personnel in complying with the OLA.

The implementation of the Transformation Model will permit CF members and DND civilian employees to be consistently led, trained, administered and supported in their official language of choice, in accordance with the requirements of the OLA.  This will position National Defence to more effectively support its foreign and domestic operations while better meeting its legal obligations.

Unique Structure

The Department of National Defence is made up of CF members and public service employees.  CF personnel are regulated by the National Defence Act (NDA), which does not set out specific requirements related to compliance with the OLA.  Civilian National Defence employees are regulated by the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA), which does. 

In order to implement the OLA, the CF is required to develop its own official languages policies, directives and procedures that take into account both the provisions of the NDA, and day-to-day operational realities. 

With the implementation of the Transformation Model, the civilian element of DND/CF’s OL program will remain firmly rooted in public service policies and directives under both the OLA and the PSEA. 

The CF portion will be extensively revised to bring it more completely in line with the requirements of the OLA and to better realign it with DND/CF’s unique administrative organization outlined in the NDA.

History

In 1914, the Royal 22e Regiment officially became Canada’s first French-speaking regiment; and several more French speaking regiments were created during World War II.  In 1969, after the enactment of the first OLA, the CF formalized this structure and CF units were designated as English-speaking, French-speaking or bilingual.  This was known as the CF Official Languages Unit Model. 

In 1988, the OLA introduced a regional system of determining the linguistic designation of federal offices.  The CF then adopted a universal approach to bilingualism.  This universal approach envisioned a CF wherein all personnel would be bilingual.  While a laudable aim, the training capacity was insufficient to create the “100% bilingual CF” that the framers of the universal approach envisioned.

Functional Approach

With the transformation of its official languages program, DND/CF reinforces its commitment to comply with the requirements of the OLA by moving away from the universal approach and adopting a functional approach to bilingualism.  This approach recognizes that – unlike the public service – the CF manages personnel by unit and not by position. 

This new approach will enable National Defence to meet the requirements of the OLA in a manner that better conforms to its unique operational structure.  The functional approach will bring a more selective method based on operational and legal-compliance requirements.  As a result, only those CF members that must be bilingual will be required to become bilingual.  These individuals will then have priority access to second language training, based on functional needs and compliance requirements.

A targeted approach to second-language training also means that DND/CF will make more efficient and effective use of its training capacity than under the former model, which was not sufficiently resourced to meet the ambitious and unnecessary objective of the universal approach to bilingualism in the CF.

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For more information about the National Defence Official Languages Program Transformation Model visit the Chief Military Personnel (CMP) Website.

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