Introduction

Page 3 of 13

In 2004, the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages published a study entitled Doorway to the World: Linguistic Duality in Canada’s International Relations. As its name indicates, this study dealt with linguistic duality in Canada’s international relations. It addressed Canada’s bilingual identity in international policy and the federal government’s major programs and activities in this area.

The study emphasized that linguistic duality is a defining characteristic of Canada’s international identity. “Linguistic duality opens doors to Canada precisely because it ensures direct access to two international cultures, because it establishes Canada’s reputation in the world as a model of social harmony through effective management of differences, and because, in the dynamic and complex world of international relations, where nations compete for attention in promoting their interests, our linguistic duality makes Canada stand out.”2

To determine to what extent the departments in question had implemented the 25  recommendations made in the 2004 study, the Office of the Commissioner conducted a follow-up study between October 2006 and September 2007. Note that four of these recommendations were divided into two parts, recommendations 7a) and b), 9a) and b), 13a) and b), and 16a) and b), which means the overall total number of recommendations was actually 29.

The study Doorway to the World: Linguistic Duality in Canada’s International Relations  covered four federal departments that carried out activities at the international level—Foreign Affairs Canada (FAC), International Trade Canada, Canadian Heritage and Industry Canada.

This study went beyond the framework of official bilingualism to look at linguistic duality’s place in Canada’s international policy. It covered five broad elements—policy orientation, key programs and initiatives, support infrastructures, Canadian missions abroad and the services these missions provide.

Doorway to the World: Linguistic Duality in Canada’s International Relations concluded that linguistic duality was being increasingly recognized as an important component of Canada’s identity on the world stage. It also pointed out the unequal integration of linguistic duality in the missions, including instances of resistance. In particular, it revealed a lack of strategic direction.

The 2004 study outlined the following key issues:

  • large gaps between departmental programs for promoting linguistic duality and their  application by certain diplomatic missions;

  • the absence of linguistic duality in FAC’s strategic plans and priorities, other than in terms of human resources;

  • a tendency not to take into account linguistic duality’s contribution to Canada’s important relationship with the United States;

  • inadequate integration within diplomatic missions of cultural promotion and trade promotion, which means that linguistic duality’s value to Canada’s economic development is not being fully recognized;

  • an inability to make use of Anglophone Canada’s support for the Francophonie; and

  • inadequate guidance, resources and monitoring in the relationship between head office and Canada’s diplomatic missions, which adversely affects linguistic duality’s most basic tenet: the provision of services and information in both official languages.

The study Doorway to the World: Linguistic Duality in Canada’s International Relations concluded that the international policy review underway at the time offered great potential for change. The announcement that the federal government was to make shortly afterward was an opportunity to ensure that linguistic duality, a key domestic policy, truly worked in concert with Canada’s international policy.

The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages made 25 recommendations (29, considering four recommendations were in two parts) aimed at three of the four institutions mentioned above. No recommendations were made to Industry Canada. There was, however, a recommendation on the appointment of senior public servants to foreign postings, which involved both the Privy Council Office and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT).

1.1 Legislative framework

The Official Languages Act sets forth three broad objectives for the Government of Canada:

  • ensure respect for English and French as the official languages of Canada and ensure equality of status and equal rights and privileges as to their use in all federal institutions;

  • set out the powers, duties and functions of federal institutions with respect to the official languages of Canada;

  • support the development of English and French linguistic minority communities and generally advance the equality of status and use of the English and French languages within Canadian society.

In the context of the 2004 study and this follow-up study, the relevant parts of the Official  Languages Act are Part IV, which deals with communications with and services to the public, and Part VII, which concerns the promotion of English and French.

In 2005, the Parliament of Canada amended the Act to strengthen Part VII, entitled  “Advancement of English and French.” Today, all federal institutions, including the departments that are the subject of this follow-up, are legally obliged to take positive measures to promote the full recognition and use of English and French in Canadian society.

1.2 Methodology for the 2004 study and the follow-up to the study

The observations made by the Office of the Commissioner in the 2004 study were based on approximately 150 interviews with officials in three federal departments—DFAIT, Canadian Heritage and Industry Canada. Most of the interviews were with officials at DFAIT, including senior public servants at the head office and the staff of several embassies and consulates general as well as Canada’s permanent mission to the Organization of American States. One staff member of the Office of the Commissioner took part in the federal government’s trade mission to Chile.

To carry out the follow-up to the study Doorway to the World: Linguistic Duality in Canada’s International Relations, representatives from the Office of the Commissioner met with 17 officials from the departments involved: 11 from DFAIT, three from Canadian Heritage and three from the Privy Council Office.

During these meetings, the representatives from the Office of the Commissioner reviewed the recommendations made in the 2004 study with the officials and asked them to describe what measures their departments had taken to carry out those recommendations. This follow-up to the study is based on the notes taken during these meetings, the written responses dealing with the various recommendations and the documentation provided by the departments. To ensure that the responses from the departments are being accurately represented, the representatives from the Office of the Commissioner asked the officials to review and validate them.

The Commissioner then sent a draft of his report to the deputy ministers of DFAIT and Canadian Heritage, as well as to the Clerk of the Privy Council. They in turn provided comments or new information, which are reflected in this report.

1.3 Organization of the follow-up study

For each of the recommendations in the study Doorway to the World: Linguistic Duality in Canada’s International Relations, this document contains the following:

  • a brief overview of the main points in the 2004 study that led the Office of the Commissioner to make a recommendation;

  • the recommendation from the Office of the Commissioner in that study;

  • the department’s response regarding the follow-ups that have been carried out since  2004 including its responses to the draft of this follow-up study;

  • the Commissioner’s conclusion and comments regarding the follow-up given to the recommendation;

  • the Commissioner’s assessment of whether the recommendation has been implemented, partially implemented or not implemented;

  • a new deadline to carry out the recommended follow-up, or a new recommendation, where necessary.

Notes

2 Doorway to the World: Linguistic Duality in Canada’s International Relations, Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages, 2004. p. 50.

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