Ottawa, November 4, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
More grey skies than sunny days, says Commissioner of Official Languages about Environment Canada’s automated telephone network
Service on Environment Canada’s automated telephone network is only available in both official languages half of the time, according to an audit report by the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages. “When it comes to active offer,” says Mr. Graham Fraser, Commissioner of Official Languages, “what we have looks more like variable weather conditions than a steady barometer.”
The audit shows that, in 50% of all cases, the recorded information on telephone lines is provided only in English outside Quebec, and only in French within Quebec. In addition, an active offer of bilingual service on the automated telephone network is only available one-quarter of the time, on average. The situation is particularly alarming in the Quebec, Prairie and Pacific regions.
“Environment Canada has taken some corrective measures since we shared our results with them. The institution must put structured mechanisms in place to highlight and overcome the technical or structural issues that keep it from improving active offer and the delivery of bilingual services,” added the Commissioner.
Environment Canada’s automated telephone network receives approximately 30 million calls per year. In some regions, weather information must be available in both official languages.
The purpose of the audit was to determine whether the Meteorological Service of Canada was fulfilling its official languages obligations with respect to service to the public.
The Commissioner has made eight recommendations to help Environment Canada fulfil its responsibilities as set forth in the Official Languages Act.
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