Recommendation 13a) (2004 study)

That the Department of Foreign Affairs take steps, by December 31, 2004, to expand Canadian participation in annual celebrations of the Francophonie around the world.

Measures taken by the Department since 2004

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT), the Journée internationale de la Francophonie is celebrated in both Canada and a number of other countries, whether or not they are part of the Francophonie, thanks in particular to the close collaboration of Canadian missions abroad with representatives in Francophone or Francophile partner countries. Celebration of the day (March 20) is becoming more popular around the world every year.

The Department said that its Francophonie Affairs Division is in high demand at the time of the celebration. In 2006, 58 missions called upon the Division’s services (compared to 49 in 2005) to obtain additional logistical support because of the high level of interest, sometimes unforeseen, in this event on the ground.

Because of growing interest, for a number of years the Francophonie Affairs Division has had to broaden the scope of its communications through DFAIT’s network of public affairs officers around the world.

The Department gave numerous examples of promotional activities, which included preparing model speeches and thematic messages for mission heads, preparing promotional materials, distributing publications, providing literary works by Canadian authors, providing financial support to missions, providing a film library, and placing bilingual messages on the Department’s Web site about the Journée internationale de la Francophonie.

The Department also mentioned activities in some capital cities, where the celebrations included week-long commemorative cultural events that that culminated in the March 20 celebration. Examples were given of activities that took place in Hanoi, Beirut, Rabat, Mexico City, Athens, Vienna, Algiers, Abid jan and Kinshasa. These activities were made up of different components: presentations by young Francophone authors, national school newspaper competitions, conferences, film festivals and so on.

Recommendation 13b) (2004 study)

That the Department of Foreign Affairs review the enhanced representation initiative in the United States to ensure that linguistic duality is effectively integrated in the priorities and operations of new and upgraded missions in that country.

Measures taken by the Department since 2004

The Department stated that Canada’s missions in the United States have undertaken a sustained advocacy of Canada’s linguistic duality over the last several years. It provided several examples:

• The consulate general in New York works closely with the Quebec delegation on a number of initiatives, including the promotion of universities and the general promotion of academic relations in the tristate area (New York, New Jersey and Connecticut).
  
  
• Several missions, notably the consulates in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami and New York, have established a partnership with the Alliance française and Quebec’s local offices to promote the Semaine de la Francophonie.
  
  
• The Dallas consulate organized a visit by a representative from the Conseil pour le développement du français en Louisiane to New Brunswick in October 2004, which helped to strengthen ties between the French-speaking communities in Canada and Louisiana.
  
  
• The Dallas consulate took part in the 2005 International Acadian Festival and in Expo Acadie 2006, both of which were held in Louisiana and helped to improve relations between the French-language communities in the two countries.
  
  
• The Boston consulate provided support to the Festival franco-américain held in Maine in September 2006 and promoted French-Canadian culture in New England.
  
  
• In November 2006, the Miami consulate participated in France Cinéma Miami, one of Florida’s most important film festivals, which exposes this large community to French-Canadian films.

The Department said that Canada’s linguistic duality is, and will continue to be, well represented in the country’s missions in the United States. The staff at the embassy and the consulates strategically highlight this vital aspect of Canada’s national identity as part of the promotion of Canadian interests.

The Department states that the U.S. Enhanced Representation Initiative is a federal horizontal government program funded by seven partner departments of the Government of Canada designed to strengthen Canada’s ability to promote its political and economic interests in the United States. It increases the number of offices in the United States.

The Department also states that the North American Liaison supports a number of initiatives to promote Canada’s linguistic duality at our missions in the United States, and gives a number of examples of promotion activities carried out in 2006–2007.

Recommendation 14 (2004 study)

That the Department of Foreign Affairs review, by December 31, 2004, existing monitoring mechanisms for Canadian studies activities at the mission level with a view to enhancing their effectiveness and encouraging, where needed, a proactive approach consistent with Canada’s linguistic duality.

Measures taken by the Department since 2004

The Department stated that all missions that offer Canadian studies activities have been informed about the recommendation and that most of them are proactive regarding linguistic duality. It added that, since the credibility and success of the Canadian studies activities depends entirely on academic freedom (the Department does not give any instructions to its partners regarding program content), its missions have been very successful over the last few years in making sure that its partners are aware of the objectives and that they keep in mind the importance of Canada’s linguistic duality in their activities.

The Department states that since 2004, some countries such as India, China and Korea have committed to promoting and encouraging a higher profile of Francophone studies within their population. They each seek to establish an association similar to the Association for Canadian Studies in the United States and will commit funds to Francophone studies.

Monitoring mechanisms consist of reviewing requests and proposals. Each mission has a dedicated officer to oversee the monitoring exercise and take a proactive role to address the findings. As an example, Pakistan is now among the countries that are seeking to promote Canadian studies with a focus on Francophone studies.

Recommendation 15 (2004 study)

That the Department of Foreign Affairs, in co-operation with the Department of International Trade and Canadian Heritage, develop an action plan by December 31, 2004, designed to ensure closer integration of the cultural and commercial activities of our diplomatic missions.

Measures taken by the departments since 2004

DFAIT indicated that a memorandum of understanding on cultural activities in the missions has been developed. A certain amount of synergy in cultural and commercial activities already exists in the day-to-day activities of the missions.

It also stated that, in conjunction with Canadian Heritage, it has developed an action plan designed to ensure closer integration of the cultural and commercial activities of the Canadian diplomatic missions for this fiscal year. This proposal may be revisited in 2007–2008.

The Department stated that all its departmental services are available to employees of the Department of Canadian Heritage who work in the missions, including access to the intranet, training, market research, market support and support for trade shows and events.

Furthermore, according to DFAIT, the Department of Canadian Heritage participates in the Virtual Trade Commissioner project. Canadian Heritage employees who work in missions abroad are able to benefit from the advantages of the Virtual Trade Commissioner since it allows them to communicate with their clients through the Web site.

In its response, the Department of Canadian Heritage stated that:
The integration of cultural and commercial activities in diplomatic missions is first and foremost a responsibility of DFAIT. This is all the more true given the recent merger of the two departments.

That being said, the Department of Canadian Heritage contributes to strengthening ties. In partnership with other federal departments such as DFAIT, Canadian Heritage is working to achieve greater integration of the international cultural promotion and cultural trade activities of the portfolio as a whole and of other key federal departments. This greater co-operation will make for a better representation of linguistic duality internationally by strengthening Canada’s cultural presence in the world.

Canadian Heritage also sent some additional comments, which are summarized below:

• The Trade Routes program believes in promoting the country’s linguistic duality and cultural diversity. It respects the language of its interlocutors, and all material intended for the public is provided in both official languages.
  
  
• All Trade Routes cultural trade commissioners who are posted abroad are able to serve Canadian clients in both official languages.
  
  
• Canadian Heritage ensures that cultural industries are protected and linguistic duality is respected during the development of Canada’s position with respect to trade negotiations.
  
  
• The Trade Routes program has also initiated a number of collaborative projects with its federal, provincial and territorial partners in order to ensure that its clients have access to all international trade services provided by these governments. One aim of these initiatives is to make Canada a major player in the export of cultural content in French and English throughout the world.
  
  
• Canadian Heritage informed the Office of the Commissioner that it, along with DFAIT and the Canada Council for the Arts, signed a memorandum of understanding in July 2007 to achieve better coordination, collaboration and coherence in their respective programs and activities.
  
  
• The Department also gives examples of activities integrating cultural and trade activities, in particular at the Canadian Cultural Centre in Paris.