Chapter Six - Promoting Linguistic Duality
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The Official Languages Act gives the Commissioner the task of promoting linguistic duality not only within the federal Public Service but also within Canadian society. Her work and the work of other individuals in this area reflect the fundamental importance of official languages in our daily lives. Languages are more than just tools of communication; they also possess great social value. Language influences our personal development and links us with our fellow citizens.
The vitality of our official languages affects all Canadians since it embodies our desire to build a diverse society that respects differences. The quality of health care for Anglophones in the Eastern Townships, the growth in Francophone school enrolment in all regions, the preservation of cultural symbols in Ontario or bilingualism at the municipal level in the Magdalen Islands or in Moncton--all of these are indications of the aspirations of language communities and concern us all.
This chapter describes the work carried out by the Commissioner throughout our country to support community efforts toward enhancing linguistic vitality. It also describes other activities of the Commissioner, designed to promote Canada's linguistic duality both nationally and internationally.
Supporting the Development of Linguistic Minorities
Education: A comprehensive development plan is needed
One of the most important development tools of official language minority communities is access to education in their own language. To ensure their future and fulfil their mission, French-language schools outside Quebec must succeed in recruiting and retaining as many students as possible. The government's action plan calls for certain measures to help them achieve this. The federal government's objective is to increase the proportion of eligible students involved in French-language schools to 80% by 2013 through:
- the creation of a fund supporting teaching in the minority language; and
- the renewal of the protocol and agreements with the provinces and territories concluded under the Official Languages in Education Program (OLEP).
Purpose of section 23 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms:
"To correct, on a national scale, the historically progressive erosion of official language groups and to give effect to the equal partnership of the two official language groups in the context of education."Supreme Court of Canada, Mahé v. Alberta, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 342, and Arseneault-Cameron v. Prince Edward Island, [2000] 1 S.C.R. 3.
Since the 2001 study Rights, Schools and Communities in Minority Contexts,77 the Commissioner has been pressing the authorities responsible to develop a national plan for recruiting from the target population for French-language schools--that is, all students eligible under section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Enrolment in these schools has levelled off over the past 10 years at 54% of the target school population. The other half of the target population goes to English-language schools. Without such a plan, future generations could find themselves losing their right to French-language education.
The Commissioner organized a roundtable session on this crucial issue in September 2002. Participants included leaders from government and the school board systems, parents, teachers and representatives of education faculties. They discussed ways to achieve the objective of section 23 of the Charter, and agreed that any initiatives should occur within the context of a comprehensive development plan for Francophone minority communities.
Following the meeting, the participants produced a document78 which, in their opinion, presents an overall vision and can serve as a guide for continuing discussions, directing the planning process and broadening action. The resulting national plan for developing French-language education could be developed and implemented under the new Official Languages in Education Program.
In the education sector, the active participation of provincial and territorial governments is essential in order to achieve the two objectives of the Action Plan for Official Languages:
- to instruct in French 80% of the target school population covered by section 23 of the Charter by 2013; and
- to double the proportion of high school graduates having a functional knowledge of their second official language by 2013.
It will be very difficult to meet these challenges without close intergovernmental cooperation within the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada.
| Recommendation 5 The Commissioner recommends that the Minister of Canadian Heritage:
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Nunavut: Education bill on ice
Issue
In 2002, the Government of Nunavut tabled an education bill.
Action
The territory's Standing Committee on Health and Education held consultations, and leaders of Anglophone, Francophone and Inuit communities expressed their many concerns about the proposed legislation.
The Commissioner and spokespersons for the Nunavut Francophone community argued that the proposed system did not meet the requirements of section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Results
In March 2003, the Government of Nunavut announced that it would not be passing the bill. The government showed sensitivity to the concerns raised, and it demonstrated leadership by accepting the committee's recommendation and dropping the bill from the Order Paper. It indicated that it would take the time needed to draft a bill that better responds to the aspirations of Nunavut's diverse linguistic communities.
Better funding for Ontario's French-language school boards
Issue
A task force headed by Dr. Mordechai Rozanski was mandated to examine whether funding in Ontario's school system was fair. The final report was submitted in December 2002.
Action
In 2002, the Commissioner participated in consultations and underlined the importance of achieving two vital objectives to help Franco-Ontarian school boards:
- achieving school results equivalent to those of the majority, and slowing the gradual erosion of the province's Francophone communities; and
- providing sufficient funds to do this.
Results
The task force recommended that the Ministry of Education "amend the funding formula as appropriate to ensure that each of the grants in the formula recognizes the higher costs experienced by French-language boards in delivering education programs and services." The Commissioner also wrote to the Ontario Minister of Education to encourage her to act on the recommendations of the Rozanski Report.
An initiative to encourage literacy among young English Quebecers
Literacy is especially important for minority communities because an individual's identity is greatly influenced by proficiency in his or her first language. An essential element of learning a language is acquiring good reading and writing skills.
In collaboration with the Quebec Federation of Home and School Associations and Literacy Partners of Quebec, the Commissioner contributed to the launch of a new competition to promote English literacy in Quebec.79 Open to all of the province's English-speaking elementary school students, the contest awards prizes for the best writing and drawings inspired by a Canadian work of art or author. Books will be given to the winning students, as well as to their school library.
The Université de Moncton's Faculty of Law celebrates a quarter century of existence
The year 2003 marks the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Faculty of Law at the Université de Moncton. The Faculty was the world's first university institution to offer training in common law entirely in French. The reputation of this institution now extends beyond the borders of New Brunswick: its Centre international de la common law en français and its Centre de traduction et de terminologie juridiques have contributed greatly to advancing knowledge in the fields of bijuralism and common law in French, in both Canada and in other Francophone countries.
A symposium on teaching common law in French was organized to mark the occasion. The Commissioner was invited to the symposium to launch her latest Language Rights report.80
Access to health care in one's own language throughout life
Société Santé en français
The Société Santé en français was created in December 2002 to implement the action plan of the Consultative Committee for French-Speaking Minority Communities and to improve French-language health services in Canada. It has an ambitious program, including:
- setting up regional cooperation networks in each province and territory;
- forging strong ties with all provincial and territorial governments;
- improving front-line health care in French; and
- obtaining long-term funding for French-language health care through federal-provincial-territorial cooperation.
Issue
Health is the top priority for all Canadians, whatever their first language. A smoothly functioning health system is able to quickly offer high quality care to patients who are weakened by illness and distress. Communications obviously play a central part in the delivery of high quality health care. To meet people's needs, you must first understand what they say, and so you must know their language and its related cultural code. A hospital is certainly the last place where you should have to fight for your language rights.
Over the past fiscal year there were some significant advances on the issue of minority language health services.
Action
2001 The Consultative Committee for French-Speaking Minority Communities identified three areas of action:
- networking;
- training; and
- access to primary care in the minority language.81
This groundwork has set the tone for subsequent government initiatives.
2002 Reports published
1. The Consultative Committee for English-Speaking Minority Communities submitted its final report. According to a recent study by the Missisquoi Institute,82English-speakers in Quebec are less likely than Francophones to turn to the public health system in case of sickness. Consequently, they depend first and foremost on family, even though they are less likely to have a family member living near them.
These findings prompted the Consultative Committee for English-Speaking Minority Communities to produce a report on the future of the Anglophone health system in Quebec.83
The report, submitted to the federal Minister of Health in December 2002, proposes a global action plan that calls for a series of government and community measures to improve social and health services for English-speaking communities. The measures include:
- offering health care that takes into account the needs of users and is tailored to different regional and community circumstances;
- establishing a multi-purpose centre that could offer health, education and community services; and
- adopting incentive measures to recruit medical school graduates and to keep these professionals in an English-speaking environment.
If implemented, the initiatives will make it possible to reinvigorate English-speaking communities, something which many hope will happen.
2. Romanow Commission.84 The Commission partially responded to the appeal from the Commissioner and spokespersons of official language minority communities following publication of its interim report, which did not take into account the needs of official language minority communities:
- Its final report recommends that governments and regional and community authorities "work together to identify and respond to the needs of official language minority communities."
3. Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology.85 The Senate Committee recommended the adoption of additional measures to help official language minority communities receive health services in their own language:
- place the issue of health care for minority language communities on the agenda of the next federal-provincial-territorial conference of health ministers;
- enter into negotiations with the provinces and territories on the possibility of setting up an official languages program in health; and
- examine the possibility of increasing the current envelope under agreements with the provinces and territories for minority language services in order to increase the amount earmarked for activities involving health and social services.
2003 New measures
1. Parliamentary actions. Private Member's Bill C-202, "An Act to amend the Canada Health Act (linguistic duality)," introduced by the Member of Parliament for Ottawa-Vanier, was debated in the House of Commons in the spring of 2003. The bill seeks to amend the Canada Health Act by adding a sixth principle: respect by the provinces for linguistic duality in the field of health. In March 2003, the bill was referred to the Standing Committee on Official Languages. The Committee was mandated to consult official language communities as well as provincial and territorial authorities to determine how to ensure better access to health care.
2. The Action Plan for Official Languages. The action plan includes an important health component that recognizes the needs of linguistic communities. The government plans to devote $119 million to it over five years to promote networking, recruitment and retention of health professionals, and improve primary health care.
3. Initiatives taken by minority communities. Minority communities are helping to put in place health networks throughout the country. This shows how important it is to have the cooperation of key stakeholders in developing minority-language health services. The provincial and territorial networks will enable partners in a region to define local needs, identify priorities for action, define their respective roles, and cooperate on implementation.86
Results
Is anyone listening?
The Senate Committee and the Romanow Commission undertook to listen to Canadians and formulated recommendations so that the health system might attain a level of excellence in both official languages.
Each report recognized the importance of federal-provincial cooperation. It is at best disappointing that the First Ministers' Accord on Health Care Renewal, adopted February 5, 2003, contains no provision on health services for Anglophones and Francophones in minority communities.
Expectations
At their most recent conference on health care, our governments thus missed an excellent opportunity to show that they are seriously committed to the vitality of their official language minority communities. When governments consult them, are citizens not entitled to expect concrete actions? The federal government therefore has a duty to strengthen its partnerships with the provinces and territories and to support, in the long term, the development of health care and services that meet the needs of official language minority communities.
| Recommendation 6 The Commissioner recommends that the Minister of Health:
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Two hospitals join together to better serve their official language minority clients
The Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Sherbrooke (CHUS) and St. Boniface General Hospital have established a partnership under which they plan to implement several measures to make their care and services more accessible to the official language minority communities they serve: the Anglophone community of Quebec's Eastern Townships and the Francophone community in the area of Winnipeg, respectively.
CHUS has already begun to draw on the experience of St. Boniface in this field: it has adopted a policy to upgrade the quality of English-language services and has created the position of liaison officer with the Anglophone community. St. Boniface has drawn on the expertise of CHUS in several specialized fields, such as computerized files. Each institution has a policy on translating documentation for patients. Their employees can take second-language training designed for their workplace. In addition, the two institutions jointly take part in several projects focusing on continuously upgrading patient services.
The initiative is an excellent example of sharing and bridge building that benefit our two official language minority communities.
Save our Sanctuaries!
Issue
In the spring of 2001, the Bishop of London announced the closure of three parish churches in the region of Essex, in southwestern Ontario, to be replaced by a single newly built church that would serve the three parishes. It was then decided to demolish one of the three original churches, the Church of St. Joachim.
A community group (Save our Sanctuaries) was formed to oppose destruction of the church, and it asked the municipality of Lakeshore to designate the Church of St. Joachim a historic monument because of its significant cultural value. The Church of St. Joachim, built around 1882 by the Francophone community, symbolizes the vitality of the Franco-Ontarian community in the region. In October 2002, a group of Francophone citizens turned to the Divisional Court of Ontario; they argued that by not acting on the designation request presented by citizens, the municipal government had not taken into account the impact of the demolition on the official language minority community of the region.
Action
- In the spring of 2002, the Commissioner approached the Bishop of London, asking him to find a way to safeguard the churches in order to help promote and protect the region's Franco-Ontarian heritage. She also approached the federal and provincial ministers responsible for heritage to explore the possibility of having the churches declared historic monuments.
- In October 2002, the Commissioner asked permission to appear before the Divisional Court of Ontario to support the citizens of Save our Sanctuaries and stress the duty of the municipal government of Lakeshore to take into account the basic values of Canadian society and the constitutional principle of respect for and protection of minorities. The hearing date was set for May 2003.
Promoting Linguistic Duality Nationally
Promotion of linguistic duality can take many different forms. It can mean ensuring that both official language communities benefit equally from immigration, promoting the use of English and French among new citizens, or promoting bilingualism at the provincial or municipal level.
A successful merger in language terms
On January 1, 2002, the Government of Quebec merged the eight villages of the Magdalen Islands to form a single large municipality with a Francophone majority. Eight months later, the new municipality declared its borough of Grosse-Île officially bilingual.
The merger did not give rise to any language tensions: leaders of both of the region's language groups worked together throughout the process to ensure that existing rights and the identity of the local Anglophone community would not be placed at risk.
The Commissioner participated in the inaugural ceremony for the borough of Grosse-Île in August 2002. She declared, "The delivery of quality services in English fills a very real need for the English-speaking residents of the Magdalen Islands. It enables them to preserve their heritage, maintain their community, and above all, build and consolidate their own identity and self-esteem. ... The inauguration of the borough of Grosse-Île, with formal guarantees of its bilingual status, is the very example of a winning solution." [Translation]
Bilingualism in the National Capital: What is the province waiting for?
Issue
Since the City of Ottawa was restructured in 1999, the Commissioner has repeatedly called for an amendment to the provincial Act creating the new city, so that it could become officially bilingual. She has made her views known on many occasions in the media and to the provincial Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs.
Results
Fortunately, the inaction of the Government of Ontario on this issue has not prevented municipal officials from taking several measures to promote a bilingual Ottawa.
- 2001 The Municipal Council created an advisory committee on French-language services, adopted a policy on official languages, and asked the Government of Ontario to amend the City of Ottawa Act 1999 in order to require that the administration of the City of Ottawa and the delivery of municipal services to the public be conducted in English and French.
- 2002 The Mayor of Ottawa and the Minister of Canadian Heritage signed a memorandum of understanding covering a period of five years. The federal government undertook to invest $2.5 million in language training, translation, simultaneous interpretation, and a support program seeking to encourage businesses to offer bilingual services. The Commissioner met representatives of the City to discuss implementation of the memorandum of understanding.
- 2003 The City commissioned a study on retailers' perceptions and needs with regard to the provision of services in both official languages (at the ByWard Market and the St. Laurent Shopping Centre). The findings were as follows:
- In Ottawa, investing in language is profitable. Providing services in both official languages is said to enhance the public image of a business.
- Many retailers recognize the economic advantages of bilingualism and try to offer their services in both official languages. However, retailers need tools to help them offer more services in the two languages. Several business owners said that they were willing to join with the City to develop such tools and organize a promotional campaign.
| Recommendation 7 The Commissioner recommends that the Minister Responsible for Official Languages:
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Canada Winter Games: A gold medal for bilingualism
The 2003 Canada Winter Games took place in the Bathurst-Campbellton region of New Brunswick. The organizing committee used effective and sometimes ingenious measures to ensure that our two official languages received equal treatment during the event:
- care was taken to use both languages early in the planning stages for the games;
- a large number of bilingual volunteers were recruited (70%); and
- a "language patrol" was organized to visit the competition sites daily and ensure that athletes and spectators were offered services in English and French.
This was a major challenge since more than 100 km separated the two host cities. Nevertheless, the few problems which did arise were corrected by the time the competitions got under way. Bilingualism had one of its best showings in the history of Canada during these 10th Winter Games. The Commissioner wrote to the chair of the organizing committee to congratulate him not only on ensuring that the principles of linguistic duality were respected, but also on helping to build bridges between the two official language communities. What a winning formula it was, indeed!
Immigration: Supporting growth in Francophone communities
Immigration is one of the cornerstones of Canada's population growth and economic prosperity. Unfortunately, some communities and regions of the country do not benefit as much as others from the effects of the annual influx of 250,000 persons who choose to settle in Canada. Francophone communities throughout the country, including Quebec, are a case in point. These communities are only able to attract a quarter of the number of immigrants that they should, given the size of their population. The Commissioner seeks to correct this imbalance, using three of the roles she exercises as an agent for change.
Monitoring Role
Since the beginning of her mandate in 1999, the Commissioner has focused many of her efforts on the legislative aspect of immigration by exercising her monitoring role of parliamentary activities. Based on the findings of a study87 that analysed the demographic issues of immigration in minority communities, the Commissioner approached federal Members of Parliament to ensure that new immigration legislation would take into account Canada's linguistic duality, particularly the needs of minority communities. The new Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, which came into force in June 2002, incorporates several of the Commissioner's recommendations. The Act specifies that immigration must henceforth promote the development of both language groups, including communities living in a minority context.
Promotion and Education Role
Exercising her promotion and education responsibilities, the Commissioner has taken concrete measures to inform communities of the benefits that immigration offers.
- A second study by the Commissioner, published in November 2002 and entitled Official Languages and Immigration: Obstacles and Opportunities for Immigrants and Communities,88 presents concrete measures that must be taken not only by Citizenship and Immigration Canada but also by the provinces and communities to facilitate the integration of immigrants into Canadian society in general and minority communities in particular.
- The Commissioner continues to carry out workshops throughout Canada to encourage all stakeholders to take measures so that Canada's Anglophones and Francophones benefit equally from immigration. In 2002-2003, the Office of the Commissioner held workshops in Vancouver, Edmonton, Ottawa and Toronto.
Duality and diversity
"If Canada has been able to build a successful pluralist society, it is because linguistic duality has been and continues to be a cornerstone in the building of Canada. To put it differently, without bilingualism, the tolerant and diverse society we enjoy would not have come about in the same way. The conclusion to be drawn from this is that the continued effective governance of Canadian diversity will depend on our continued ability to assume the linguistic duality of the country."Dyane Adam, excerpt from the article, "Canada's Official Languages, cornerstone and guarantee for managing Canadian diversity," Canadian Issues/Thèmes canadiens, April 2003, pp.10-12.
Liaison role
Through her liaison role, the Commissioner mainly seeks to ensure that federal institutions, provinces and communities work closely together. Their cooperation makes its possible to develop tools and an infrastructure that encourage the creation of long-lasting links between newcomers and host communities in a minority context.
- The Commissioner closely monitors the work of a committee established by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to encourage Francophone immigration.89 The committee is currently preparing a strategic framework to facilitate immigration to minority communities. The Commissioner intends to work with the communities once the plan has been adopted to ensure that they benefit equitably from immigration, as intended in the new legislation.
- The renewal of federal-provincial immigration agreements is a good example of cooperation. Three agreements were renewed in 2002, with Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The agreements specify procedures for consultation and collaboration with official language minority communities during recruitment of immigration candidates nominated by the provinces. Through her liaison role, the Commissioner works closely with the communities to ensure that the agreements yield the intended results.
Manitoba: Creating a set of tools to welcome immigrants in French
In October 2002, over 120 representatives of Franco-Manitoban community organizations and federal and provincial institutions participated in a symposium on integrating newcomers.
Their recommendations dealt with four themes: developing community leadership and a structure for welcoming immigrants; raising awareness at all levels; promoting Francophone Manitoba internationally; and updating federal and provincial policies for immigrants. A committee bringing together community organizations and the three levels of government was created to implement the recommendations.
The activities are part of the "Agrandir l'espace francophone" strategy of the Franco-Manitoban community. Among other things, the strategy seeks to include all French-speakers in the activities of Manitoba's Francophone community, including bilingual Anglophones, Francophone immigrants and parents of mixed families.
Becoming a Canadian citizen in both official languages!
Issue
In late October 2002, a new citizenship bill (C-18) was tabled in the House of Commons. The draft legislation calls for major changes in the role of citizenship judges.90 They would be given greater responsibility for promoting citizenship in order to ensure increased participation by citizens in their community.
"...We have a country rich in diversity in which people can remain a part of their own communities while still participating fully in the larger society of Canada. (...) Canada's diversity is highlighted by its bilingualism, and it is important that children of immigrant families be given an opportunity to learn both French and English so that they can both realize the greatest opportunities that our great country has to offer and have the broadest number of careers available and become fully part of Canadian society."
Excerpt from a speech by Senator Mobina Jaffer, delivered in the Senate on November 7, 2002, as part of the adoption of the Address in response to the Speech from the Throne.91
Action
Performing her parliamentary monitoring role, the Commissioner analyzed the bill and observed that it remained silent on a basic Canadian value that judges should undoubtedly be required to promote: linguistic duality.
The Commissioner appeared before the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration to propose certain amendments to Bill C-18. She recommended that it include:
- recognition of English and French as official languages of Canada; and
- a requirement that judges, as they preside over ceremonies, ensure that they are conducted in English and French; they should also stress the importance of the equal status of English and French as official languages of Canada and as a basic Canadian value.
Expectations
Filled with symbolism, citizenship ceremonies are an excellent opportunity to promote Canada's basic values. The Commissioner therefore expects that linguistic duality will be given its rightful place as a Canadian value in the bill and that, consequently, new citizens will be made aware of the importance of the two official languages in Canadian society at the time that they become members of the Canadian family.92
Enlightened leadership in New Brunswick
New Brunswick saw major changes over the past year:
- the province adopted a new Official Languages Act; and
- the City of Moncton passed a resolution declaring itself officially bilingual.
The new Official Languages Act further solidifies the bilingual character conferred on the province by the Constitution. In the spring of 2002, the Commissioner approached the provincial government, and proposed certain changes to the draft legislation so that the government's constitutional obligations would be fully met. As a result, the new law is having a positive impact on both of the province's official language communities:
- the rights and obligations set out in the earlier act have been broadened;
- public access to various important services is now guaranteed in English and French (municipal services, police services, administration of justice and health care); and
- a commissioner of official languages (the fourth such position to be created in Canada) is mandated to ensure respect for provincial language rights and promotion of both official languages.
Moncton's official declaration that it is a bilingual city bodes well for official language communities and Canada's linguistic duality.
From now on, public notices and information will be prepared in both official languages.
While these initiatives were originally prompted by citizen-initiated court proceedings in which the Commissioner participated, the measures now achieved go beyond what was required by the courts.
The community is now looking to the Government of New Brunswick to enforce the Act so that English-French equality is fostered. All of Canadian society stands to gain from this.
The City of Moncton, first winner of the Montfort of the Year
In March 2003, the Department of Canadian Heritage and its partners organized the first Prix Montfort presentation ceremony, one of the events marking the Rendez-vous de la Francophonie and the Journée internationale de la Francophonie. The awards were created to recognize the achievements of Francophones and Francophiles who contribute to the development of Canadian society. The prize winners have achieved distinction by helping to bring Canadians together and by extending the francophone influence in Canada and abroad.
The prizes are awarded in the categories of arts, health, youth, communications, science, understanding, cultural diversity and international appeal. The Montfort or the Year was awarded to the City of Moncton as the first city in Canada to declare itself officially bilingual.
Bilingual youth preparing for the labour market
The Edmonton Public School Board has developed a large-scale initiative to revamp its French instruction programs. The French Language Renewal Project, launched in the spring of 2002, seeks to:
- increase enrolment in French immersion and French-as-a-second-language programs;
- improve the performance of participating students;
- strengthen contacts between students and the Francophone community; and
- establish partnerships with organizations interested in French instruction.
The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages is participating in this innovative project as a member of its advisory board. The Commissioner intends to award a certificate of merit to each student completing the French immersion program who passes the language skills tests administered by the Public Service Commission of Canada, which is also collaborating in the project.
This project is truly remarkable because it is the first time that young Canadian students are taking language tests that are recognized when applying for designated bilingual positions within the federal Public Service.
Official language teaching in Canada
"Our universities will have to show rather more leadership and responsibility than in the recent past in providing opportunities for students to develop and consolidate their second-language skills. If targeted funding is required to achieve this, it should be considered.
Second-language education will have to be viewed increasingly as a continuum which extends from preschool to include college and university, as well as exchanges, work opportunities and other skill maintenance activities. New ways will have to be found to ensure that FSL and ESL students can enjoy productive contacts with local minority-language communities and their culture."
Address by the Commissioner to the Joint Conference of the Canadian Association of Immersion Teachers and the Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers, Charlottetown, November 2002.93
The Official Languages Act: An international model
Canada was one of the first countries to pass legislation in order to protect and promote official languages. More and more countries are now seeking Canada's expertise in this domain as they adopt measures designed to recognize linguistic diversity, both within and beyond their borders. In particular demand is Canada's expertise in language planning, delivery of bilingual government services, and implementation of the Official Languages Act and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, both of which have served as models in several countries.
Association des ombudsmans et médiateurs de la Francophonie (AOMF)
The Commissioner is joint vice-president of the AOMF, an association of some 30 ombudsmen and mediators from French-speaking countries and governments.
In 2002-03, the Commissioner coordinated the updating and modernization of the Association's statutes, and examined the feasibility of setting up a permanent secretariat. These improvements to its structure should help the Association to more effectively perform its role of developing the ombudsman function in countries belonging to the Francophonie.
The Commissioner encourages the government to promote Canada's linguistic duality internationally. She herself has been invited on occasion to present the lessons learned by Canada over its more than 30 years of official bilingualism.
- Over the past year, the Commissioner received a delegation of parliamentarians from the Russian Federation interested in Canada's approach to language planning and ways to adapt the model of the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages to their country.
- She also went to Ireland, where the government was studying a bill to promote and protect the Irish language. Modelled to a large extent on Canada's Official Languages Act, the new law even creates a position of commissioner of official languages, one of the first of its kind outside Canada. The Commissioner met with the minister responsible for promoting the Irish language and offered various practical suggestions to ensure effective implementation of the legislative measures that the Irish government has adopted.
Conclusion
Promoting linguistic duality at the community, national or international level is a responsibility that the Commissioner performs with pride. The role she plays complements local initiatives undertaken by dynamic communities that receive solid support from various governments. Actions undertaken by the Office of the Commissioner of Official Language remind Canadians of the importance of the basic rights of language communities. The Commissioner's promotion role serves the interests of all Canadians through its defence of the principles of justice and equity which, in turn, help us to preserve the richness of our languages and social fabric.
Notes
77 See http://www.ocol-clo.gc.ca/html/stu_etu_032001_e.php.
78 Accomplishing the mission of French-language education under section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Report on the proceedings.
79 See http://www.nald.ca/index.htm
.
80 See http://www.ocol-clo.gc.ca/html/lr_dl_2001_02_e.php.
81 Consultative Committee for French-Speaking Minority Communities, Report to the Federal Minister of Health, September 2001, 45 pages.
82 Saber-Freedman, Sara. 2000, Quebec's English-speaking communities in the year 2000: A preliminary report on the omnibus survey of the attitudes and experiences of English-speaking Quebecers, Montréal: Missisquoi Institute, 63 pages.
83 Report to the Federal Minister of Health, Consultative Committee for English-Speaking Minority Communities, July 2002. See http://www.chssn.org/
84 Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada, Building on Values: The Future of Health Care in Canada, November 2002, 357 pages. See http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/care/romanow/index1.html
85 Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, Report on the document entitled : Santé en français - Pour un meilleur accès à des services de santé en français, December 12 2002. See http://www.parl.gc.ca/37/2/parlbus/commbus/senate/com-e/soci-e/rep-e/rep07dec02-e.pdf
86 Santé en français, http://forumsante.ca/index.cfm?Repertoire_No=-661868150&Voir=page&Art=2.
87 Immigration and the Vitality of Canada's Official Language Communities, http://www.ocol-clo.gc.ca/html/stu_etu_imm_022002_e.php.
88 See http://www.ocol-clo.gc.ca/html/stu_etu_imm_02_table_e.php.
89 Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Francophone Minority Communities Steering Committee.
90 Bill C-18 also stipulates that the judges will henceforth be called "citizenship commissioners."
91 See http://www.parl.gc.ca/37/2/parlbus/chambus/senate/deb-e/017db_2002-11-07-e.htm.
92 As of March 31, 2003, the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration was still studying Bill C-18.
93 See http://www.ocol-clo.gc.ca/html/speeches_discours_07112002_e.php.
