Appendix A : Recommendations to the Halifax International Airport Authority for each objective, the Airport Authority’s work plan and our comments
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Generally speaking, the approach and the work plan presented by the Halifax International Airport Authority respond only partially to the Commissioner’s recommendations.
We are encouraged by some of the measures identified in the Airport Authority’s work plan. However, in responding to our recommendations, the Airport Authority has placed emphasis on possible federal funding as opposed to focusing on service in both official languages and developing new ways of working with service providers. We understand the challenges faced by the institution; nevertheless, to fully demonstrate its commitment to serve the public in both official languages at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport and to make any significant progress, the Airport Authority needs to consider innovative and proactive ways to meet its official languages obligations in relation to service to the public.
We maintain that complete implementation of our nine recommendations is necessary if the Airport Authority is to fully meet its obligation to offer services in both official languages and provide the highest quality customer service possible to travellers passing through the Halifax Stanfield International Airport.
We are confident that this audit will contribute to increasing the institution’s commitment to official languages and ultimately to improving the services that it offers to the public, in both official languages.
| Recommendation 1 The Commissioner recommends that the Halifax International Airport Authority strengthen its official languages accountability framework to include a description of the mechanisms used to meet its obligations under the Official Languages Act, a means of communicating this information to all employees and contracted service providers and a mechanism to encourage a more concerted and proactive approach to the official languages program in its various departments. |
The Airport Authority’s work plan
- Revise accountability framework to refer to standard contract language and annual reminders (Q4 2009)
- Make contact with contracted service providers, specifically those persons responsible for official languages (Q2 2010)
- Plan to host a “lunch and learn” (Q2 2010)
- Review accountability framework annually (Q4 of each year)
Our comments
The Airport Authority has indicated it will revise its accountability framework to refer to standard contract language and annual reminders in the fourth quarter of 2009. This is a good start, as is reviewing the accountability framework annually. Unfortunately, these actions are incomplete in regard to the recommendation of strengthening the framework to include the mechanisms used to meet official languages obligations, broadly communicating the information and encouraging a more concerted and proactive approach to the official languages program.
| Recommendation 2 The Commissioner recommends that the Halifax International Airport Authority strengthen its action plan for official languages to include clear objectives, specific actions with timelines, areas of responsibility, performance indicators, a communications strategy and monitoring mechanisms to ensure compliance with its various obligations under the Official Languages Act. The implementation of the action plan should also be reviewed by the Executive Management Team on an annual basis. |
The Airport Authority’s work plan
- Continue to update the action plan as required (ongoing)
- Executive Management Team to annually review the action plan (Q4 of each year)
- Give employees a short annual presentation on the Airport Authority’s official languages obligations at an internal briefing (Q2 of each year)
- Corporate Communication, Retail and Community Development to develop a communications strategy in consultation with General Counsel (Q4 2010)
Our comments
The Airport Authority has indicated it is preparing a communications strategy and that the action plan approved by the Executive Management Team on October 8, 2008, will be reviewed annually. We are encouraged by these activities and we are expecting changes that will lead to an action-oriented plan with clear indications of the outcomes of proposed activities.
| Recommendation 3 The Commissioner recommends that the Halifax International Airport Authority: a) take appropriate measures to demonstrate in concrete, tangible ways its commitment to promoting linguistic duality and to raising the visibility of the official languages program among the airport’s key occupants to ensure that they take full responsibility for the services they are required to provide to the travelling public in both official languages; |
The Airport Authority’s work plan
- Annually review and update the Web site to ensure all information is bilingual (Q2 of each year)
- Corporate Paralegal is currently working on hosting a “lunch and learn” with some of the federal institutions and air carriers located at the airport (Q2 2010)
- Continue to address official languages in the Airport Authority’s annual business and strategic planning cycles (ongoing)
- Address official languages in future annual reports (Q2 of each year)
- Annually update Executive Management Team and Board on status of official languages program (Q4 of each year)
- Place suitable official languages posters in certain areas of the airport to encourage employees to speak their mother tongue (ongoing)
| b) develop an internal policy that clearly defines the Airport Authority’s obligations and expectations with respect to bilingual services provided to the travelling public by its employees and by specific contracted service providers at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport. |
The Airport Authority’s work plan
No plan to address this part of the recommendation.
Our comments
The Airport Authority indicates a number of activities to address the first part of the recommendation, but there is no indication it will develop an internal policy to address the second part of the recommendation. Given the challenges the Airport Authority is facing in relation to the provision of bilingual services to the travelling public by its employees and by specific contracted service providers, we strongly recommend the development of an internal policy to support its commitment to promoting linguistic duality.
| Recommendation 4 The Commissioner recommends that the Halifax International Airport Authority develop a communications strategy aimed at raising awareness of its official languages obligations among specific contracted service providers throughout the airport. A key component of the strategy should be a highly visible awareness campaign on the responsibilities and obligations linked to the provision of active offer and delivery of services in both official languages, accompanied by the necessary tools to help them fulfill these obligations. |
The Airport Authority’s work plan
- Corporate Communications, Retail and Community Development to develop an official languages communications strategy in consultation with General Counsel (Q4 2010)
Our comments
The Airport Authority’s intention to develop an official languages communications strategy in the fourth quarter of 2010 is also given as a response to Recommendation 2. We strongly encourage the Airport Authority to ensure the strategy includes a highly visible awareness campaign accompanied by the tools needed to help service providers make an active offer and deliver service in both official languages.
| Recommendation 5 The Commissioner recommends that the Halifax International Airport Authority add provisions to contracts with specific service providers that clearly outline incentives for compliance or consequences of non-compliance with respect to official languages obligations. |
The Airport Authority’s work plan
- Ensure future contracts continue to address official languages obligations (ongoing)
- Subject to federal funding, explore possibility of incentives (Q4 2010)
Our comments
The Airport Authority indicates that it will continue to address official languages obligations in future contracts and will explore the possibility of incentives. It is to be noted that the Ottawa International Airport Authority fines concessionaires when there is a reported infraction of the Official Languages Act. The issue is one of commitment to ensure compliance with the Act and commitment to linguistic duality. As the Halifax International Airport Authority never applied its contract fines, we are looking forward to the creative measures the Airport Authority will develop to ensure the respect of official languages obligations.
| Recommendation 6 The Commissioner recommends that, in the interest of providing quality services in both official languages to all travellers throughout their entire visit at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport, the Halifax International Airport Authority take the lead and establish a joint working group with other federal institutions located at the airport to regularly discuss and address official languages issues. |
The Airport Authority’s work plan
- Corporate Paralegal is currently working on hosting a “lunch and learn” with some of the federal institutions and air carriers located at the airport (Q2 2010)
Our comments
Although the Airport Authority indicates its intent of holding a “lunch and learn,” we feel that it should go far beyond a specific activity and take the lead in establishing an official joint working group with other federal institutions to discuss and address official languages issues.
| Recommendation 7 The Commissioner recommends that the Halifax International Airport Authority review the language designation of its positions so that a sufficient number of bilingual positions exist to ensure the availability of services in both official languages, and that the travelling public can communicate with the Airport Authority in the official language of its choice. At the same time, this review should also address language training and recruitment needs. |
The Airport Authority’s work plan
- When the incumbents retire, staff Human Resources Administrative Assistant and Customer Relations Manager positions as bilingual positions (as required)
- Corporate Paralegal (and possibly other employees as required or funding is received) to commence French language training (Q2 2010)
- Actively recruit bilingual volunteers (Q4 2010)
Our comments
In its work plan, the Airport Authority indicates measures to staff two positions as bilingual when the incumbents of those positions retire; however, we are of the view that more concrete measures need to be taken in the meantime to ensure the delivery of services in both official languages.
As for the active recruitment of bilingual volunteers, this is an excellent activity that we support strongly and should be done on an ongoing basis.
| Recommendation 8 The Commissioner recommends that the Halifax International Airport Authority: a) implement formal mechanisms for the effective and efficient monitoring of compliance with the Official Languages Act from all contracted service providers at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport that are required to provide their services in both official languages; |
The Airport Authority’s work plan
- Subject to federal funding, investigate possibility of staffing for official languages compliance (Q4 2010)
| b) develop and implement innovative measures to encourage contracted service providers to meet their official languages obligations. |
The Airport Authority’s work plan
- Encourage federal government to be creative and fund innovative measures to encourage compliance (Q4 2010)
Our comments
We had expected a more proactive response. The submitted work plan on this recommendation is somewhat vague and contingent on federal funding. We would like to reiterate that compliance with the Official Languages Act is mandatory and was a part of the agreement the Airport Authority signed with the government to take control of the management of the airport.
Monitoring compliance with the Official Languages Act, as with all other acts and regulations the Airport Authority is subject to, is an essential part of management. We strongly encourage the Airport Authority to look for innovative and alternative means of carrying out its obligations in this respect. Furthermore, we expect the Airport Authority to show leadership and commitment in this area as well as in the promotion of linguistic duality.
| Recommendation 9 The Commissioner recommends that the Halifax International Airport Authority use its community consultative committee and outreach program as an opportunity to create a dialogue with the representatives of the official language minority community and discuss issues related to official languages at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport as well as potential solutions. |
The Airport Authority’s work plan
- Continue to engage Francophone community through Community Consultative Committee (ongoing)
Our comments
We look forward to the increased implication of the Francophone community at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport.
