OCOL - Key challenges outlined in the Commissioner’s follow-up report to the 2010 Games

Key challenges outlined in the Commissioner’s follow-up report to the 2010 Games

Overall, solutions must still be found for the following challenges:

the resources allocated to translation;
the recruitment of a sufficient number of bilingual volunteers;
the equal representation of both official languages in communications with the media and the public; and
the integration of linguistic duality into cultural activities.

The key federal institutions need to increase their efforts in the following areas to respect the Act in the context of the Games:

ensuring that the travelling public receives services in both official languages;
improving active offer of service in both official languages;
ensuring that Canada’s linguistic duality is properly considered in the coordination of health and security responses at the Games;
monitoring official languages performance during the Games and reporting on best practices.

VANOC must:

reinforce its collaboration with Canadian Heritage and Public Works and Government Services Canada to immediately find an appropriate solution to ensure that translation services meet all the requirements set out in Annex A of the Multiparty Agreement;
judiciously recruit and deploy bilingual volunteers to offset attrition and to address possible absences during the Games;
ensure the equal representation of both official languages on signage; and
review its communications practices to ensure that they meet the requirements set out in Annex A of the Multiparty Agreement, particularly for unforeseen situations and emergencies, updates to Info2010 for journalists as well as translations and updates of athletes’ declarations and biographies.

Canadian Heritage must find a solution, in collaboration with VANOC and Public Works and Government Services Canada, regarding the status of required translation resources.
Senior officials must communicate with the Province of British Columbia, the City of Vancouver and the Municipality of Whistler to persuade them to provide bilingual signage pertaining to the Games.
The Department must submit its assessment of official languages performance during the Games, including positive experiences and lessons learned, to this office, by June 30, 2010.

Canadian Heritage and VANOC, in collaboration with Public Works and Government Services Canada, must promptly find an appropriate solution to the translation issue so that the requirements set out in Annex A of the Multiparty Agreement are fully met.

Observations on the ground indicate that bilingual active offer and availability of service in French continue to be a challenge, especially at Vancouver International Airport. Air Canada needs to step up its efforts to improve services at the Toronto and Vancouver airports so that its customers can be served in the official language of their choice.

Observations at the airports reveal that active offer of service in both languages is lacking and that service is seldom available in the minority official language. The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority must increase its efforts to improve overall service in both official languages at security checkpoints.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is clearly showing leadership through the various initiatives it has planned to improve its official languages performance before the Games.
We encourage CBSA to closely monitor its official languages performance during the Games, and to ensure that the measures it will have taken are upheld.

Following the Commissioner’s observations of in-person service from the airport’s commercial tenants, the Vancouver Airport Authority must improve its results. The Commissioner plans to follow up on this issue in December.

Observations on the ground reveal that the Greater Toronto Airport Authority must take further measures to improve results for active offer and for availability of service in both official languages.

The Public Health Agency of Canada is taking some measures to integrate official languages into its 2010 planning, but it should review its procedures for staff or contractors who cannot provide services in French.
The Agency should take on a stronger leadership role by ensuring that its official languages obligations are discussed with counterparts at other levels of government.

Canada Post is showing leadership by going beyond its obligations and ensuring that there will be bilingual staff at its Whistler post office.
However, bilingual active offer of service is a challenge that still needs to be addressed.

The good results following observations and the concrete measures that Service Canada has been taking for the Games demonstrate leadership and set an example for other federal institutions.
Service Canada is encouraged to share its best practices with other institutions, and to continue working to address its main challenge, that of recruiting bilingual personnel in the region.

Measures put in place by Parks Canada seem to be yielding positive results on the ground. Parks Canada has created a training DVD on active offer, which it is encouraged to share with other institutions.

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation seems ready to provide services in both official languages in anticipation of the Games. However, some significant improvements are needed in terms of active offer.

The Treasury Board must continue to play an even greater leadership role by monitoring the performance of federal institutions with regard to using both official languages during the Games.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has taken important steps to ensure that a number of its law enforcement and security personnel can respond to members of the public in the official language of their choice.
The RCMP should ensure that it has adequate bilingual capacity and that its official languages obligations are discussed with counterparts at other levels of government.