Interview with Jean-Pierre Blais, Official Languages Champion at Canadian Heritage

In 1998, the Treasury Board Secretariat asked federal institutions to appoint an official languages champion. In 2003, these champions created the Council of the Network of Departmental Official Languages Champions.

Today, in 2006, how do you perceive the role of a federal institution's official languages champion?

We are the ambassadors for official languages, or, more specifically, the conscience of our organizations where official languages are concerned. Being proactive means having an influence on the way activities are carried out, daring to raise issues and making suggestions to other senior management levels. It also means being fully committed, taking part in discussions and sharing information.

Champions must also demonstrate a solid personal commitment and ensure that, structurally, decisions are carried out. They must also make sure that actions are perpetuated beyond the Network of Champions and throughout the various levels of our respective organizations.

Of course, the champions do not necessarily play their roles in the same way; the roles depend on the mandate of their department or agency and present different challenges. For example, the actions taken in a regional agency may differ from those taken in a larger department.

What concrete results has the Network of Champions and the Council of the Network achieved?

With the Council, we have gradually created a climate of openness within the federal government's senior management. In addition, the recent strengthening of official languages governance has facilitated the Network's activities.

Funding provided by the Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada's Official Languages Innovation Fund has allowed the Council to create a secretariat, which, in turn, has allowed for a better structured Network, ensured support for the Network, and increased its capacity.

An equally important fact is that the Council is a very effective venue for exchanges, and its full potential should be used. It is a discussion table that enables champions to address the issues and difficulties they face, and to discuss concrete approaches and actions.

The fact that the Network meets in various regions and that it meets with the official language minority communities in their own environments makes the official languages issue more tangible, less "theoretical."This is an important interaction that enables us to move forward with our actions in our respective departments.

What is your view of the ideal official languages champion?

Preferably, an ideal champion would be a member of senior management, because he or she must be able to exercise influence on a daily basis. He or she must be a role model, take part in meetings and consultation sessions that involve him or her, and commit to the role fully. Champions should be prepared to be daring, persistent and convincing.

An ideal champion also builds bridges with other departments and agencies. These champions are attentive to their colleagues, and they share their successful experiences with those who live and work in an environment that is less receptive than their own.They must exercise leadership within and outside of the Network.

Becoming a champion is voluntary: people are very committed and the exchanges are sincere and strive to achieve concrete results, because the champions are willing to get involved. We need to discuss every angle of this issue among ourselves and be proactive in our departments and agencies.

How do you believe the champions can exercise their leadership and change the organizational culture of a department?

The champions need to show proof of leadership, particularly with their colleagues who are members of the senior management committee, to ensure that official languages are the focal point of the decisions made. They facilitate the achievement of official languages objectives by relying on a values-based approach.

The key is to "speak through action." They must play the part of champion during senior management meetings. It is not a matter of convincing others, but rather, thinking like a champion. For example, if a meeting is taking place in English only, and the champion speaks French, this action will naturally incite the alternate use of English and French. Gradually, the alternating use of both languages will pervade the other committees and working groups.

What are the challenges you face as an official languages champion?

Without a doubt, one of the greatest challenges is time. As a member of the senior management of a department, it is important to master time management in order to be fully present, in body and spirit, in our official languages-related activities.

Another great challenge is communication. Often, people do not understand their official languages obligations.We need to inform them and explain these obligations to them clearly, without scaring them!

Competition with other departmental priorities poses another challenge.The existing hierarchy of priorities needs to be taken into account, and the obligations need to be incorporated with these priorities.The champion can have an influence on his or her organization's activities by taking part in a network or council that commands a certain respect and by carrying out debriefings.This is not necessarily quantifiable, but it certainly puts official languages on the agenda.

Can you share some of the best practices at Canadian Heritage?

As official languages champion at Canadian Heritage, I co-chair, with a member of the community party, the two joint consultative committees: Canadian Heritage and the Quebec Anglophone community, and Canadian Heritage and the Francophone and Acadian communities.The main objective of these two committees is to ensure that the communities and the Department strengthen their partnerships.

Some results achieved by the Anglophone Committee have a direct impact on the community: the creation of ELAN in the Quebec Anglophone artistic community (see text on page 2) and support for a project to create a forum for the community's young people who are leaving Quebec in large numbers after completing their education.The purpose of this summit will be to develop approaches to counter this exodus and to revitalize the Anglophone communities.

At Canadian Heritage, I created a working group on official languages that discusses all of the issues relating to the implementation of parts IV,V,VI and VII of the OLA. The directors general and directors who sit on this committee should exercise their influence within their own branch or directorate, thus providing the impetus for action.

The working group includes one person who is responsible for coordinating its activities and for linking the actions taken under the various parts of the OLA.

Another best practice is the inclusion of an official languages clause in the management agreements of members of the management group.As a result of this clause, the performance evaluation of managers depends in part on their official languages commitments.

How are parts IV,V, VI and VII linked and how can the official languages champion promote the complementary implementation of these parts of the OLA?

At the outset, very little was said about Part VII of the Act during meetings of the Network of Champions.Over time, throughout the meetings and discussions, its presence grew, such that today, parts IV, V, VI and VII support each other: exchanges on practices,measures and work methods are increasingly tangible.

To gain a better understanding of what goes on in our department,we could, for example, improve the data-gathering methods used to better quantify the results of the actions we take. For example, we could create a code for the projects that receive grants and contributions in a context other than official languages, but that, nonetheless, have an impact on the vitality of official-language minority communities. It is important to quantify (using performance indicators) the initiatives taken to develop the communities to be better able to target our actions and to report on them.

Have you any ideas about how to enhance the status of Part VII of the Act within the departments?

The Network of Official Languages Champions, the network of national coordinators responsible for the implementation of section 41 of the OLA, and now, the network of regional/territorial persons responsible for interdepartmental coordination at Canadian Heritage certainly contribute to raising awareness within the federal government overall.They are three pillars of influence, and they support each other mutually. As they become more active, the departments and agencies will increasingly act of their own volition.

We need to remember that if employees are made aware of the official languages issues internally, they will be in a better position to contribute to the federal strategy for supporting the development of official-language minority communities.

Any closing remarks?

I will conclude by simply stating the three essential qualities of an official languages champion: commitment, a proactive nature and perseverance.