Ottawa, November 29, 2007
Leadership, Values and Official Languages
in the Renewal of Canada’s Public Service
Notes for an address at the
3rd Official Languages Good Practices Forum
Graham Fraser – Commissioner of Official Languages
Check against delivery
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am very honoured to participate in this third annual Official Languages Good Practices Forum.
First of all, I would like to commend the good work of all those who, every day, instil in federal employees the desire to do better and to strive for excellence through bilingualism. I would like to start by paying tribute to your energy.
I am happy to see the good practices that are being showcased today. The 2007 vintage is excellent.
It’s a refreshing change to be recognizing achievers and highlighting success stories! Too often, when we talk about official languages, we focus on shortcomings and errors, on what was done wrong or neglected. So now let’s take the time to recharge our batteries and give ourselves a collective pat on the back for a job well done before gathering some new momentum.
I would be remiss if I did not point out the excellent work of the Public Service Agency and its partners. Their information campaign, the second component of which is being presented today, is well designed and enforces the message that the public service must be a model of linguistic duality. This is an interesting initiative, and I will be following the next steps closely.
Renewal, values and official languages
As you know, the public service must renew itself quickly because of the upcoming retirement of a large number of employees, because of technological developments and because of the increasing diversity of the Canadian population. In this regard, I am highly aware of the arguments put forth by the Clerk of the Privy Council, Kevin Lynch, in the 14th Annual Report on the Public Service. Urgent action is needed.
In fact, what is behind this urgent appeal for renewal and for greater accountability is a new vision. This vision was advocated by the Advisory Committee on the Public Service, which was established by the Prime Minister. This committee said that—and I quote—:
[…] the renewal of Canada’s Public Service should reflect a renewed commitment to fulfilling the obligations of the Official Languages Act, both in terms of service to the public and language of work inside government. A national institution must be fully respectful of national values.
Because we are focused on the future, we tend to forget how much the public service has changed over the past 40 years, along with our national values.
In 1967, when we celebrated Canada’s centenary, there was no Official Languages Act, no Multiculturalism Act, no Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Canada first proclaimed the equal status of English and French, developed in parallel a policy to respect fundamental rights and our multicultural heritage, and then created strong and versatile instruments that today enable us to manage our increasing diversity.
As the Supreme Court of Canada stated, language rights “are a well-known species of human rights and should be approached accordingly.”1 This means that language rights are part of human rights in general and are closely linked as national values. We therefore must treat them “in a fair and equal manner, on the same footing, and with the same emphasis.”2
Today, linguistic duality encompasses everyone, regardless of their ethnic origin and first language learned. In the public service, as in Canadian society, bilingualism is a wide, double door that opens onto the world’s diversity.
However, to achieve such an ideal, the federal government, together with the provinces and territories, must support a common strategy for promoting our official languages and developing the minority communities that speak them. This is why I believe it was so urgent and necessary to strengthen Part VII of the Official Languages Act. Simply put, we are finally able to move in step and in the same direction, towards linguistic equality.
The adoption of the Action Plan for Official Languages in 2003 was a key point in this period of renewal. Since then, our minority communities have had a new opportunity to have greater influence on the policies and programs that affect them. I am very happy to see that in the recent Speech from the Throne the federal government reaffirmed its support for the second phase of the Action Plan.
The driving force behind this commitment is the idea that linguistic equality is remedial and conducive to social progress. And this linguistic equality is manifested in concrete and measurable results. It assumes progress towards equality on the ground, in and for minority communities. And it also encourages a new spirit of collaboration between federal institutions and minority communities.
Leadership through respect
Obviously, this practical equality is achieved first and foremost through unwavering respect for English and French within the federal government. Despite some very commendable progress in this area, there is still a great deal to be done. Year after year, the Office of the Commissioner's performance report cards find serious shortcomings in the active offer of bilingual services in person and over the telephone.
But how hard is it to say “Hello” and “Bonjour”? That’s the basis of an active offer that meets the requirements of the Act. And when this small and simple sign of politeness and respect does not come automatically, how can we help but think that we are in the presence of a lack of leadership or discipline? This is true not only for organizations that are constantly in contact with the public, like Air Canada and Service Canada, but for all federal institutions as well.
As you know, all success depends first and foremost on the will to succeed. And success in official languages is based on the slow accumulation of best practices. Like the novelist Georges Duhamel said, to achieve great things, you have to do an infinite number of small things. And the first good practice is to effectively ensure active offer at all levels.
For language of work, there is a clear link between the active bilingualism of supervisors and managers and the equitable use of both languages on a daily basis.
Unfortunately, the language requirements in effect are often perceived as formal requirements, as pointless obstacles, instead of being seen as opportunities to grow. This kind of reluctant bilingualism is counterproductive, even cynical. Canadian bilingualism is a sumptuous banquet to which everyone is invited. Why not partake?
In order to participate fully in the public service, adhere to its values and acquire the skills necessary to succeed, mastery of both official languages must be seen as a question of leadership. Declaring that English and French are equal means accepting the consequences of this declaration, that it is legitimate to use both these languages in the workplace. It also means valuing the contributions federal employees from every language community make to the construction of our national identity.
How can you be a leader if don't understand those you are leading? How can you claim to respect the diversity of our country if you don't know what is thought, written and said in the other official language? Respect is at the heart of real leadership.
Since accepting this position, I have had ample opportunity to observe the relationships that exist between leadership and language. The famous “C” level for oral interaction requires the person being evaluated to be persuasive in their second language, to intervene in a conflict at work, to supervise an employee, to meet community leaders or to give a radio or television interview in order to explain a given project. In my opinion, these are not language criteria: they are leadership criteria.
Last June, I heard Jeffrey Gandz of the Ivey Executive Program and Ivey Leadership Program talk about leadership and the importance of knowing how to influence and persuade, in other words, encouraging, empowering and exhibiting values. “If leaders don’t exhibit values, the values don’t exist,” he said.
I asked Mr. Gandz how important it was for leaders to be able to communicate to the organization as a whole, as opposed to just the direct reports. That, he said, was the distinction between a leader and a manager. You manage within a system; you lead across systems. So, to be a leader in the public service, you must know how to influence, persuade, engage and empower all of your employees, in English and in French.
However, other cultural and social reflexes should be part of leadership. Contact with federal employees in the official language of their choice doubtless helps leaders improve their second language skills. Even better, it helps them refine the cultural and social reflexes necessary for an in-depth understanding of the issues of the other language community.
In-depth understanding means familiarity with the environment in which people live: the newspapers they read, the TV shows and movies they watch, the theatres they go to. It also means understanding their jokes and most of all understanding their values.
This in-depth knowledge is essential to bridging what we call “the two solitudes.” This kind of sensitivity to the other language community enriches the knowledge and experience of anyone who learns their language. Being bilingual enriches our lives and opens up a whole new world of discovery.
Obviously, we cannot create enthusiasm for the other official language and its culture by lecturing or scolding. On the contrary, it is more important to provide learning opportunities, encourage everyone’s efforts and praise second-language successes. And, because practice makes perfect, language training must be planned for early in the career of new recruits.
Conclusion
In this context, I am very happy about the official languages good practices that are being presented today. I know that the most promising solutions are often the result of a collective effort. I am also well aware that what may appear simple, elegant and natural, like a Cirque du Soleil act, is often the result of a team's relentless work.
In closing, I would like to once again congratulate everyone here who has worked to promote our linguistic duality within the federal government on a daily basis. Well done! And keep up the good work, because we need you! By working for linguistic equality, you are ensuring openness, dialogue and sharing; and a climate of respect..
Thank you.
1 La Forest, Supreme Court of Canada, R. v. Mercure, 1988.
2 The 1993 Vienna Declaration sets forth the universal nature of all rights, placing cultural rights on the same footing as others. Article 5 states: "All human rights are universal, indivisible and interdependent and interrelated. The international community must treat human rights globally in a fair and equal manner, on the same footing, and with the same emphasis."
