Ottawa, May 18 2006
A SHARPER VIEW
Launch of A Sharper View: evaluating the vitality of the communities
Dr. Dyane Adam - Commissioner of Official Languages
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Good day, ladies and gentlemen.
Thank you for coming here to attend the launch of A Sharper View / Une vue plus claire, a study of community vitality.
This is the latest study on community vitality conducted by my Office. Just a year ago, for example, we published Going Forward / Vers l’avant, which concerned developments in Quebec’s English-speaking community. However, the new study differs in that it does not focus on one particular community or one aspect of its development. Rather, it gives an overview of our knowledge regarding community vitality in general. Thus, it concerns all official language communities and all federal institutions.
This document is the result of an extensive dialogue on the vitality of official language minority communities. Indeed, there is a growing interest in this question of vitality, both in the communities themselves and among researchers, and it is certainly now a matter of great interest for the current government. On November 24, 2005, Parliament adopted Bill S-3, which clarifies the obligations of federal institutions under Part VII of the Official Languages Act. Every federal institution must now take “positive measures” to fulfill the government’s obligations with respect to the vitality of official language minority communities and with regard to promoting linguistic duality. The need to take action implies that federal institutions will be open to acquiring knowledge about vitality.
The study goes over the various concepts used in work that has advanced our knowledge of official language communities and their vitality. This overview demonstrates the great interest in the vitality of communities, albeit one that is not understood in the same way by all concerned. A consensus is nonetheless emerging that taking effective action with regard to vitality requires first getting to know it better, hence the importance of creating a diversity of knowledge about the communities and their development.
To conclude, the communities have good reason—and up to a point, the resources—to take charge of knowledge about their vitality. Such empowerment is a sine qua non for reinforcing vitality and achieving the equality stipulated by the Act.
The study points to the importance of proper diagnoses and proper planning of development activities, and the need to draw on knowledge in order to empower ourselves in achieving the objective of greater vitality. All involved need to equip themselves with tools for evaluating activities and initiatives that will strengthen community vitality. The study provides a very useful reference and starting point for those seeking such tools, or who have a responsibility to act as governmental departments.
Federal institutions will now have to develop closer ties with communities and, indeed, see them as true team members, working together to increase vitality. The government must create suitable ongoing mechanisms for cooperation with the communities themselves and with all key players, particularly other governments. Cooperative initiatives in such as fields as health care have already yielded excellent results here in Quebec and elsewhere in the country.
Thank you. I’ll now turn the microphone over to Marc Johnson, who will present an overview of the report for us.
