3.4.1. Provincial and municipal signage and services

VANOC says that all signage bearing the VANOC logo (inside and outside the venues) will be bilingual. VANOC is also encouraging the province, the City of Vancouver and the Municipality of Whistler to use the VANOC style guide for producing posters in both official languages, particularly with regard to directions and the locations of Games services and venues.

Representatives of these three levels of government have shown little inclination to make the signs that fall under their authority bilingual. Senior VANOC officials have stated that this is a major hurdle. The vast majority of persons interviewed for this study said the public will make no distinction between signs falling under VANOC’s responsibility and those of its government partners, particularly with regard to Games-related signs; for the general public, the source of all signs concerning the Games is one and the same.

This situation provides an excellent opportunity for Canadian Heritage to demonstrate strong leadership in helping VANOC obtain the cooperation of British Columbia, Vancouver and Whistler with respect to signage and services that fall under their jurisdiction.

With respect to transportation, discussions are underway between VANOC and Vancouver’s public transit authority, TransLink, to provide service in French. Timetable boards and directional maps should be in both languages. An automated telephone information system has also been planned that will provide service in some 140 languages (including English and French).

The City of Vancouver is prepared to provide key municipal services in four or five languages, including French. It is considering the possibility of creating a multilingual call centre (311 service) and translating a portion of its information documents. The federal representatives interviewed say they are prepared to make efforts to raise awareness about this issue among the municipalities and at the provincial level.

An initiative by the Municipality of Whistler is worthy of special mention: Whistler has promised to do its utmost to ensure that bilingual municipal ambassadors are hired to interact with client groups. Whistler is also working closely with the Francophone community to find accommodation for Francophone visitors and for bilingual individuals who will serve as resource people for Francophone athletes.

Overall, a fair number of representatives of VANOC, the Francophone communities and other partners said they hoped the federal government would demonstrate clear leadership to persuade the province, the City of Vancouver and the Municipality of Whistler to provide signage and key services in both official languages during the Games.

In its response to our draft report, VANOC specified that it had made presentations on the subject of bilingual signage to the Government Operations Steering Committee, made up of members of the municipalities and governments involved in the Games, and the Visitor Experience Integrated Task Force Team, consisting of all tourism agencies linked to the Games. According to VANOC, the presentations made everyone aware of VANOC’s requirements regarding official languages and showed stakeholders the role they can play within this important mandate. VANOC intends to carry out similar initiatives in various forums. It also indicated that the Francophone Affairs office of the Government of British Columbia is aware of VANOC’s official languages mandate. VANOC will continue encouraging all its partners to play a role and contribute to the success of the Games.

The Commissioner reiterates the importance of ensuring that all Games signage is bilingual, given that Canadians and visitors will not distinguish between VANOC signs and those of all levels of government. This is a golden opportunity for Canada as host of the 2010 Winter Games to promote its linguistic duality and ensure it is a source of pride for all Canadians.

3.4.2. Reception services

As set out in the official languages requirements of the Multiparty Agreement, reception services by telephone and in person at VANOC’s head office are available in both official languages. The main and replacement receptionists are both fluently bilingual. On-site visits conducted at different times of the day over a six-day period in March 2008 showed proper compliance with this requirement. Furthermore, elevator instructions at the head office are provided in both English and French.

3.4.3. Signage and posters

Official signs at VANOC’s head office appear in both languages and are of good quality in each language. All signage at all Games venues that is to bear the Olympic or Paralympic logo will be in both official languages, as per the Multiparty Agreement. Plans for producing posters include the stipulation that they be created in both languages. Signage will be ready three to four months before the start of the Games, but will be put in place only a few weeks before they are held. Last-minute posters to meet unanticipated needs during the Games will be produced in about 12 hours. Although current production templates include both languages, it would be worthwhile to ensure the posters are verified to avoid language mistakes. Because signage is so important to visitors, errors of this kind rarely go unnoticed.

In its response to our draft report, VANOC reiterated that all signs and posters it produces will be in both official languages. It indicated that it will revise its official languages policy to clarify the translation process. VANOC also indicated it is working to increase its translation resources and improve the editing process for public documents to ensure a high-quality service during the Games.

3.4.4. Internet

VANOC’s Web site is currently the organization’s main means of communicating with the general public. The site contains general information, frequently asked questions and headings on different aspects of the Games. Volunteers can sign up to work for VANOC only through the Web site. VANOC also regularly uses this site to issue news releases on its activities and on current and future events.

After initially experiencing difficulties with respect to the French versions of documents (delays in comparison to the English version, poorer quality of language and elements not translated), the situation has improved significantly. Our random spot checks over a three-month period and feedback from those interviewed outside of VANOC revealed that the complete site now exists in both languages and that the quality of the French is satisfactory. The quality of the French under the “Olympic Store” heading, which left much to be desired in late March, had been significantly improved by early May. Accents are still missing on a few words, which is something that can be easily corrected with a quick proofreading. The work of the Revenue, Marketing and Communications Division, which is responsible for the site’s content, should be commended.

The Federal Games Secretariat periodically visits the site to keep track of developments regarding the Games. The Secretariat reports the occasional mistakes it detects to VANOC. This follow-up mechanism appears to be satisfactory.

3.4.5. Information and promotional documents

All information documents for the general public, such as flyers, leaflets, logos, brochures and the mascot booklet, that have been produced to date are in both official languages. VANOC has said that this practice will remain in effect for all future documents.

However, in contrast with what is set forth in the annex on official languages in the Multiparty Agreement, not all souvenir items are produced in both languages. For example, the Olympic store at VANOC’s head office sells sweaters, hoodies and carry-on bags with English-only lettering. The same items can be purchased online. No equivalent items with French lettering are offered for sale. Souvenirs are produced by companies licensed by VANOC. VANOC is in the process of seeking companies to produce equivalent souvenirs with French inscriptions for Quebec’s Francophone consumers. The organization must ensure that these items will also be available in the rest of Canada, through the online store and at retail outlets at the Games’ venues.

In its response to the Office of the Commissioner’s draft report, VANOC indicated that much of its merchandise is offered in English and French. It noted that together with Francophone partners it will encourage licence holders to increase their production of articles that have inscriptions in both languages, by presenting a business case to indicate which products are aimed at Francophone consumers and the most profitable distribution points. This is a promising measure. However, VANOC and the licence holders for promotional articles must remember that the Canadian public and visitors from abroad expect all souvenir items to reflect linguistic duality—everywhere in Canada. Licence holders must understand that the national Canadian market is bilingual and merchandise should take this into account.

3.4.6. Official programs and tickets

Official programs and tickets, as well as subscriptions for online ticket purchases, are to be completely bilingual. Templates are prepared in both languages. We have been assured that special consideration will be given to the quality of each language. Such documents will need to be carefully proofread before proceeding with the final print run.

3.4.7. Announcements of results and commentaries

VANOC has assured us that communications pertaining to artistic, cultural and other events, such as announcements during shows and all other entertainment activities, will be in both official languages. VANOC must be vigilant in ensuring that such information and commentaries are as complete in one language as in the other.

Messages, announcements and commentaries during the sports competitions are also expected to be in both languages at all venues. VANOC does not foresee any difficulty in this regard, because many announcers and commentators are comfortable with French. Messages to spectators pertaining to the competitions and Web commentaries will also be in English and French. Scoreboards have been designed to simultaneously display results in both languages (with all of the necessary French characters), and VANOC has confirmed that results will,
in fact, appear simultaneously in both official languages.

VANOC, incidentally, has undertaken the commendable initiative of not only translating content into French and having it checked by its Communications Unit, but also asking its Francophone staff to verify all systems relating to the public. VANOC used this practice for the volunteer sign-up system.

3.4.8. Media communications

3.4.9. Medical and emergency services

VANOC is paying special attention to medical and emergency services for visitors, athletes, technical officials and representatives of the media and Olympic Movement. In March 2008, the eight medical service officials (four of whom are bilingual, including two Francophones) were involved in the process of planning how these services would be organized, including their availability in both languages. They are working in conjunction with Vancouver Coastal Health, which is able to provide services in numerous languages, including English and French, and will be able to call on that organization when necessary. The medical service officials are, for example, considering the number of people that Vancouver Coastal Health could lend for clinics at the Games venues and the number that VANOC could dispatch to hospitals, in the event of an emergency.

The medical service was in contact with the French-language immersion network to explore the possibility of recruiting bilingual doctors and nurses who might wish to volunteer their services. Officials should also remember to approach the Francophone community through the FFCB.

3.4.10. Training venues

Training venues are normally open to the public and the media, but the level of service they offer is not equal to that of the competition venues. VANOC’s representatives have indicated that services would be provided in English and French at the training locations. In other words, signage, information centres, medical services and public messages will be in both languages.

3.4.11. Athlete services

3.4.12. Sponsors

3.4.13. Calls for tenders

In accordance with VANOC policy, calls for tenders are issued in both official languages, but related technical documents may be produced in one language only; in all cases, they are in English. Initially, calls for tenders were not always written in French, or the quality of the French was poor. This situation has subsequently been remedied.

In the fall of 2007, following complaints received by the Commissioner of Official Languages, VANOC revised its clause regarding the language of project submissions to emphasize the possibility of submitting in French. VANOC is trying to establish a team capable of evaluating submissions in French, or ensure that when resources are not available, the submissions can be translated. However, contracts are drawn up in English, even when submissions are in French. VANOC has committed itself to examining the situation.

In the fall of 2008, in its response to our draft report, VANOC explained that it had considered the possibility of translating call-for-tender documents into French. However, due to the complexity of the contracts’ specialized language, their volume and the limited number of translation resources available during the critical call-for-tender period, VANOC decided to devote its translation resources to communications with the public and other groups, as described in the Multiparty Agreement. VANOC also indicated that documents related to the call for tenders explain clearly that interested Francophone parties can, if necessary, receive support.

VANOC also noted that its Web site included an overview in English and French of the requests for proposals posted. The overview includes a summary of the request, the deadline, where to submit the proposal and contact information for a resource person. Each request for proposals also stipulates that interested parties can ask for explanations in English and French and that VANOC will answer the questions in the same language.

The Commissioner expects VANOC to continue examining the situation and consider the possibility of preparing contracts in French.

3.5. Cultural Programming and Ceremonies

The Corporate Strategy and Government Relations Division, which is now responsible for cultural events occurring within the framework of the Games, is well aware of the need to reflect Canada’s cultural diversity and linguistic duality at all events. This has been built into the division’s operational planning. The Division also has a good bilingual capacity, but VANOC intends to increase its Francophone presence. The following sections pertain to the Cultural Olympiad, the opening and closing ceremonies, the live sites, and the Olympic Torch Relay.

3.5.1. Cultural Olympiad

The Cultural Olympiad comprises a series of three festivals of popular and fine art held over a three-year period in the Vancouver–Whistler corridor in conjunction with the Games.

Canadian Heritage, with several other partners, is making a financial contribution to this event through existing programs. Negotiations are underway between VANOC and the provinces to draw up contribution agreements, and a portion of the funds will be earmarked for the Cultural Olympiad. As part of its agreement with VANOC, the Government of Quebec is also interested in contributing to this effort, to ensure that the French-speaking community will be properly represented within the 2009 and 2010 Cultural Olympiads.

The Cultural Olympiad 2008, which focused on British Columbia’s artistic activities, took place in February and March. Some 60 organizations, including three groups from the province’s Francophone community, were selected to present about 300 activities. Community representatives were consulted with respect to the organization of activities and were generally satisfied with the place reserved for the French language and for British Columbia’s French-speaking community. We would also like to highlight the excellent quality of the 2008 program guide in both languages. The Cultural Olympiad 2009 will focus primarily on artistic activities from across Canada, while the 2010 event will have a largely international character, although the distinction may not be absolute. The FFCB plans to submit new proposals for 2009 and perhaps for 2010, in conjunction with other partners.

Cultural Olympiad officials have already contacted artistic and cultural groups from Canada’s French-speaking community to invite them to submit projects for the 2009 and 2010 Olympiads. They are targeting at least 20% to 25% French-language content, be properly represented in its components and as a whole.

Canadian Heritage and VANOC are working with the Canada Council for the Arts and equivalent provincial organizations to allow groups that were selected in 2009 and 2010 to use their trips to Vancouver to put on a series of shows in British Columbia and other provinces, to maximize the benefits of their participation in the Cultural Olympiad. They also want to help develop the production network among both language groups and promote exchanges between them. This is a praiseworthy initiative that will foster the vitality of Francophones in both majority and minority communities.

One shortcoming was observed with respect to the Cultural Olympiad. Francophone groups may submit their projects in French, but contracts for the three Francophone community projects in the Cultural Olympiad 2008 were drawn up in English. We hope that the modification of the tendering process described in the “Calls for tenders” section and
the Commissioner’s recommendation on this matter will correct this situation.

3.5.2. Opening and closing ceremonies

The opening and closing ceremonies are among the highlights of the Games. An estimated three billion people around the world will watch these events. The opening ceremonies will have a significant impact on the impression that outside parties (particularly those from abroad) have of the Games and of Canada. The ceremonies thus offer unique opportunities to represent Canada’s linguistic duality.

Fully aware of this, VANOC representatives have clearly advised the executive producer, who was hired to organize the ceremonies, that these events must portray Canada’s cultural diversity and linguistic duality. Since the programming of these ceremonies is a secret until their presentation, we were unable to obtain specific details as to the content of the two events. Officials have, however, indicated that French content should make up about 25% of the programming. It is important to ensure that this percentage pertains to elements that use language as a means of expression. French should not, in other words, be primarily represented through visual activities.

Speeches and presentations will be in both languages, as stipulated in the IOC Protocol, and the bilingual version of the national anthem will be sung. The giant screens set up in the stadium will be programmed to reproduce both languages during the ceremonies.

Representatives from British Columbia’s Francophone community have expressed concern that small producers and lesser-known artists will be placed at a disadvantage in relation to national and international stars. This community does not want the Francophone presentation to consist merely of performances by one or two famous groups or artists from Quebec. They fully agree with the need for adequate representation by Quebec, but want the organizers to also ensure balanced representation by Canada’s entire Francophonie.

Because of substantial federal funding ($20 million) for the opening ceremonies, Canadian Heritage serves on the organizing committee for the Games’ ceremonies. Canadian Heritage must therefore ensure adequate and diversified representation by the country’s Anglophone
and Francophone communities.

In February, VANOC organized six meetings in Vancouver, bringing together more than 100 leaders from Canada’s arts scene, to receive their comments on the Games’ opening and closing ceremonies. Interpretation services were offered in both languages, and 21% of the participants from outside British Columbia were Francophone. Although the FFCB proposed potential participants from British Columbia’s Francophone community, according to our information none were selected. The organization of the opening and closing ceremonies is a major aspect, and VANOC cannot fail in flawlessly representing the country’s linguistic duality at the ceremonies, pursuant to the Multiparty Agreement’s very clear requirements in this respect. Follow-ups on the representation of linguistic duality at the ceremonies should be included in the official language progress reports by VANOC and Canadian Heritage, as described in Recommendation 4.

In the fall of 2008, VANOC reiterated that it considers linguistic duality an integral part of the Canadian identity, which is why the opening and closing ceremonies will reflect this. It noted that it had begun integrating linguistic duality into the two ceremonies and that it will continue this process throughout the planning of the ceremonies.

The Commissioner cannot emphasize enough the importance and influence the opening and closing ceremonies will have on the image of the Games and of Canada in the minds of Canadians and people abroad.It is essential that special attention be paid to the expression of linguistic duality in all its diversity during the ceremonies.

3.5.3. Live sites

The live sites provide live entertainment in downtown Vancouver and in Whistler during the Games. The governments of Canada, Vancouver and Whistler are helping to fund these activities. Representatives of these three entities have given their assurance that the events will reflect linguistic duality. Francophone artists and groups will be included in the programming. Information and presentations will be made by bilingual announcers in English and French. Notices and signs will also appear in both official languages. Furthermore, the screens at these venues will display both languages.

3.5.4. Olympic Torch Relay

The Olympic Torch Relay is another key event at the Games. The torch will travel across the country, from one coast to another. Its route is a major cultural component of the Games.

VANOC has begun consulting with the provinces and with various groups to establish the route that will, in principle, be unveiled in the fall of 2008. Fondation Dialogue and FFCB submitted a document to VANOC in March 2007 entitled Au cœur du parcours, in which it asked to include Francophone communities throughout Canada along this route and suggested 18 specific locations for this purpose. It also proposed the names of possible torchbearers for the communities. Representatives of Quebec and New Brunswick said they told VANOC the route initially proposed was not, in their view, satisfactory in terms of representativity. VANOC hopes to reach 80% of the Canadian population through the cities and municipalities it has selected. Doing so could, however, mean that less densely populated regions in which official language communities reside are bypassed. According to the provincial representatives and those of Fondation Dialogue and the FFCB, Torch Relay officials have been receptive to their concerns regarding the initial plan, and discussions appear to be proceeding in a positive manner.

In the fall of 2008, VANOC indicated that it requested and received from its Francophone partners a list of the most important Canadian cities in terms of the presence and participation of Francophones.

VANOC reported that it took those suggestions into account in setting the course of the Torch Relay, and that it will encourage communities along the route with strong French-speaking populations to include Francophones in their organizing committees’ planning activities. VANOC must also ensure that activities related to the Torch Relay reflect the country’s linguistic duality.

3.6. Relationships with Canada’s Francophonie

There are many challenges related to properly representing both official language communities, given their complex make-up and geographic dispersion. Due to the linguistic composition of its staff and the fact that the Games will take place in British Columbia, VANOC is able to understand and adequately represent the Anglophone majority in Canada. To properly represent Canada’s Francophone communities, VANOC needs to consider the geographic and cultural diversity of Francophones in Canada. In order to do so, more formal ties and close relations between VANOC and Canada’s Francophonie should be established. Following a somewhat difficult start, particularly in terms of communications with British Columbia’s Francophone community, the situation has greatly improved and partners from the Francophonie indicate that they are satisfied.

3.6.1. Agreement with Fondation Dialogue and the FFCB

3.6.2. Agreements with Quebec and New Brunswick

VANOC signed a framework cooperation agreement with the Government of Quebec in October 2005 and a memorandum of understanding with the Government of New Brunswick in August 2007. Under the cooperation agreement, the Government of Quebec committed to actively supporting VANOC in its functions regarding the presence of French at different phases of the Games. The Government of Quebec said it would do so particularly by contributing to the Games’ cultural and language components and to the recruitment of volunteers and specialized personnel.

The memorandum of understanding with New Brunswick stipulates that New Brunswick, as the only officially bilingual province, will lend its assistance to VANOC in presenting the Games in English and French. New Brunswick’s contribution pertains essentially to the same areas as those covered in the agreement with Quebec.

VANOC’s representatives and those from the two provinces said they were satisfied with current levels of cooperation between the parties. VANOC, for example, appears receptive to suggestions from the provinces regarding the route of the Olympic Torch Relay. At the time of writing this report, VANOC and the Government of Quebec were in the process of negotiating an agreement under the Contributing Province/Territory Program. In this new agreement, Quebec would be asked to provide clear support (i.e., through funding and human resources) for the cultural component of the Games, which includes the Cultural Olympiad. However, the two parties have not yet decided on opening a permanent VANOC office in Montréal, to ensure a strong presence of the Games in Eastern Canada, as planned in the 2005 framework cooperation agreement.

New Brunswick is particularly interested in the Cultural Olympiad, the Olympic Torch Relay, volunteers and translation, and is considering the possibility of a financial contribution.

The only concern that was raised pertained to the issue of coordinating the efforts of the different stakeholders in asserting the presence of the French-speaking community during the Games. So far, VANOC has held separate discussions with each party concerned, and no discussion between VANOC and the French-speaking community as a whole has taken place.

Through this committee’s activities, VANOC and the Federal Games Secretariat could regularly report on progress regarding the state of preparedness in terms of official languages to ensure the goals of the Multiparty Agreement are met. Effective and timely solutions could be developed in consultation with committee partners to bridge any gaps between the objectives of the Agreement and current progress.

In its response to the draft report, VANOC explained that a committee consisting of representatives of the FFCB, Fondation Dialogue and Canadian Heritage exists and meets quarterly. However, the Commissioner believes that VANOC and its various Francophone partners would benefit from a multilateral forum bringing together all stakeholders from the Francophonie. VANOC has already signed memoranda of understanding with several provinces and territories, including Quebec and New Brunswick. This is a positive step and deserves mention. However, it would be beneficial to bring together all partners from the Francophonie as well as the governments of Quebec and New Brunswick within the same forum.

It should be up to the partners themselves to decide on the terms of chairing this committee, in order to establish procedures that allow for and facilitate better dialogue and cooperation among stakeholders from Canada’s Francophonie.

3.6.3. Place de la francophonie and legacy of the Games

3.6.4. Agreements with the media

3.6.5. Grand Témoin de la Francophonie