4. Observations and Implementation of Recommendations
Page 6 of 14
Our analysis of the implementation of recommendations relates to various topics and does not necessarily correspond to the numbering scheme appearing in our June 2000 report.
4.1 Sport Canada
4.1.1 Linguistic Capability of Sport Canada
STUDY
- The level of fluency required for senior executives was sufficient (CBC).
- The level of fluency required for managers was insufficient (BBB).
| Recommendation 6 |
FOLLOW-UP
Numbering seven, these management positions still require the intermediate BBB level in the other official language. Two positions are currently vacant. One relates to sport programs and the other to sport policies. The department plans to raise the linguistic profiles of these positions to the CBC level in the course of their permanent staffing.
As a result of the recommendation, Sport Canada is currently formulating a human resources strategy that will assess measures that have been taken and is producing a schedule for modifying the linguistic profiles of all management positions based on operational requirements and language training constraints. That is why Sport Canada hired a senior human resources advisor in the summer of 2002 who reports directly to the director general. One of the advisor’s tasks is to conduct an overall review of the requirements for all these positions.
Status of recommendation 6: not implemented.
Progress report: December 31, 2003
STUDY
- Francophone program officers exceeded the second-language skills requirements.
- Anglophone program officers met the second-language skills requirements.
- These positions require a good intermediate knowledge (BBB) of the second language.
- There was no apparent relationship between the language skills required of program officers and the needs of the client organizations to which they were assigned.
| Recommendation 7 |
FOLLOW-UP
Program officers act as consultants for funded organizations. Twenty-two officer positions now exist, two of which are vacant. Fourteen officers exceed the required intermediate BBB level while seven others meet it. Except for one officer who is enrolled in French classes, the others can serve their clients in the official language of their choice. Sport Canada has put mechanisms in place so that clients of the officer not meeting the language requirements can be served in the language of their choice. Since a number of officers exceed the intermediate standard of knowledge of their second language, Sport Canada can take this opportunity to raise the linguistic profile of some of these positions.
The incumbents of the eight Sport Policy Branch positions also serve as consultants to the sports community. Seven of these incumbents meet or exceed the intermediate level language requirement for their positions, while the other is currently taking language courses. Certain linguistic profiles were raised to the next level and positions filled on a n imperative basis during recent staffing activities.
Our review of how NSO portfolios have been assigned to program officers reflects increased bilingual ability and an improvement since the time of our study.
Status of recommendation 7: implemented
STUDY
- The four positions in the Athlete Assistance Program required second language skills at the intermediate level (BBB).
- This skill level was insufficient to discuss program issues with athletes.
| Recommendation 4 |
FOLLOW-UP
The AAP manager position linguistic rating was thus increased to CBC and the incumbent now meets these requirements. Three other officer positions only require a B level in the other official language, although current employee abilities are in fact higher. Sport Canada still requires the B level, even though one position is currently in the process of being filled (PM 4).
As part of the process involved in formulating its human resources strategy, Sport Canada is reviewing the possibility of raising the linguistic profiles of various positions.
Status of recommendation 4: partly implemented.
New deadline: September 30, 2003
4.1.2 Financial contribution to major games
STUDY
- Sport Canada provides partial funding for major games held in Canada.
- The 2001 Canada Summer Games and the 1999 Pan American Games respected linguistic duality.
- Nevertheless, no funding was specifically earmarked for providing services in both official languages.
| Recommendation 5 |
FOLLOW-UP
The funds allocated by Sport Canada under various multiparty agreements are substantial and are associated with a comprehensive set of official language obligations. Furthermore, Sport Canada has formulated means of ensuring a fair role for both official languages when major national and international sports events are held. During the 2001 Canada Games and the World Championships in Athletics, the organizing committees enhanced the bilingual character of these events by ensuring the active participation of London’s and Edmonton’s Francophone communities.
The multiparty agreement for the March 2003 Bathurst games clearly recognized the bilingual nature of the event and established rules for providing services in both official languages, as had the multiparty agreement for the 2001 Canada Games in London. Moreover, these games were successful in terms of their respect for both official languages. The multiparty agreement that was signed with respect to the North American Indigenous Games that were held in Winnipeg in 2002 also included specific language clauses. Sport Canada states that exemplary bilingual practices serve as a models for future agreements pertaining to other major games. Furthermore, additional funding has been granted to the Canada Games as well as to the North American Indigenous Games.
In short, while Sport Canada does not stipulate exactly how much funding should be devoted to ensure the respect of both official languages during major games, it has taken the necessary measures to ensure that both French and English are used in such events, and the agreements reflect this fact
Status of recommendation 5: implemented
4.1.3 Sport Funding and Accountability Framework
STUDY
- The NSOs funded by Sport Canada should provide a minimum level of services in both official languages, pursuant to the Sports Funding and Accountability Framework. This includes:
- being able to respond to requests for information in the preferred language of the requesting party;
- providing bilingual services for national championships and international events;
- posting information in both official languages on the home page of their Web site;
- providing bilingual services at the annual general meeting.
- Even if NSOs met the other minimum language requirements, we believe that Francophones were not fully included in NSO activities.
- The follow-up on contribution agreements was not strict enough.
| Recommendation 1 |
FOLLOW-UP
In response to Recommendation 1, Sport Canada surveyed 47 NSOs in 2001 to assess the availability of their services in both official languages. Sport Canada modified the Sports Funding and Accountability Framework (SFAF) after the first cycle (1996-2001) to harmonize it with the three primary orientations of the new Canadian Sport Policy published in May 2002: sporting excellence, participation in sports and capacity building. By modifying the SFAF, Sport Canada seeks to help funded organizations make sustainable change and assign increased importance to achieving results.
The minimal expectations defined in the previous framework have now been replaced by national standards applying to all NSOs. The purpose of this approach is to ensure that the NSOs, in compliance with their national mandate, provide programs and services to their members in both official languages. Under the new national standard:
- the NSO has a policy on official languages that complies with the current Treasury Board and Sport Canada policy;
- the NSO collects statistics on its members’ language preferences;
- NSO members may obtain key services in either official language;
- the NSO will provide the key specialized and technical documents in both official languages;
- static sections of the NSO's Web site must be presented and updated in full in both official languages, while dynamic (and constantly changing) sites may be displayed in either of the two official languages;
- the NSO will ensure that its national team coaches can meet the needs of each athlete in his or her official language;
- the NSO will adhere to the Sport Canada policy on Official language standards for high performance training centre.
The national standard makes improvements over to expectations appearing in the previous SFAF, including those pertaining to the official languages policy that should be adopted by NSOs, access to technical and specialized documents and the presence of bilingual coaches within national teams. However, the standard does not define which “major key services” the NSOs must provide. Requirements on to information appearing on Web sites are greater than they were previously, as NSOs must now publish static information in full in both languages. However, the sports community is often more interested in “dynamic” Web site areas sections that provide news and information on upcoming sports events. We consequently therefore find the new standard limiting in this regard.
In short, although Sport Canada has revised the SFAF, we believe that certain weaknesses remain in the national standard and that in this context, recommendation 1 has not been fully implemented. And although the NSO survey identified areas where services provided to their members is lacking, it remains vague in a number of aspects.
Status of recommendation 1: partly implemented.
Progress report: April 1, 2004
STUDY
- Monitoring of contribution agreements with national sport organizations was somewhat weak.
| Recommendation 2 |
FOLLOW-UP
In the course of implementing Recommendation 2, Sport Canada referred us to its NSO survey. While this survey involved a self-appraisal by these NSOs and was in large part subjective, it did enable Sport Canada to produce a linguistic portrait of each such organization. We shall examine the results of this survey in section 4.2. Sport Canada program officers use these data to determine how thoroughly official language goals have been met and to provide counselling to organizations that are required to produce action plans to remedy whatever shortcomings have been observed.
In the summer of 2001, Sport Canada published an assessment of the 1996-2001 accountability cycle, which in part focused on repercussions of the minimal official language expectations that had been set for the NSOs. This report, which was written by a consultant, assesses the strengths and weaknesses of the SFAF. and It also serves as a tool for Sport Canada to monitor the progress that has been achieved and to serve as a guide for its future efforts. The report indicates that the establishment of minimal expectations and the Commissioner’s study have made the NSOs aware of the bilingual services situations and have served as a catalyst for change. Many of these organizations have increased their translation budgets and increased the translation of key documents that had only previously been available in English. The report also provides examples of innovative practices that certain NSOs have deployed to provide bilingual services. For example, the Board of Directors of the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association has made bilingualism a job requirement for its. Chief Executive Officer.
Status of recommendation 2: implemented
STUDY
- The audit methodology used by the Treasury Board Secretariat is focused more on the process to be followed rather than the achievement of results
- The Commissioner therefore made a recommendation to the Treasury Board Secretariat.
| Recommendation 3 |
FOLLOW-UP
The Treasury Board Secretariat has updated its auditing practices. This was done essentially to bring its auditing practices into line with the new program evaluation objectives contained in the April 2001 government audit policy. The objective of this policy is to focus, in particular, on results. However, we are unable to conclude that Treasury Board Secretariat has fully integrated these practices in its auditing activities.
Status of recommendation 3: partly implemented.
New deadline: December 31, 2003
