Ottawa – With the release of Volume I of the Commissioner of Official Languages’ Annual Report, the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne (FCFA) du Canada is more convinced than ever of the need to overhaul governance of official languages within the federal government. The FCFA finds rather relevant that an annual report entitled Beyond Obligations contains so many references to “leadership,” while the accompanying press release voices concern over the government’s “laissez-faire” approach.
“The Commissioner’s report seems to echo several of the findings and recommendations put forward by our own organization last November, in a document looking back at four decades of the Official Languages Act,” says FCFA President, Marie-France Kenny. “When leadership is lacking and the Act is seen solely as a string of obligations, several federal institutions end up doing only the bare minimum. That’s how we interpret the Commissioner’s reference to a ‘laissez-faire’ approach.”
The FCFA shares the Commissioner’s concern relative to the Treasury Board’s weakened support to federal institutions on official languages. Since the abolition of the Public Service Agency, responsibilities, such as establishing the terms according to which federal institutions must provide their services in both official languages, have fallen to an office within the Treasury Board. “If the responsibilities have remained the same, the resources have decreased, a situation that could have a very real impact on the ability of Canadians to obtain services in the language of their choice,” comments Ms. Kenny.
The Fédération is also pleased to see that the Commissioner’s report raises the issue of the significant impact of delays of confirmation and reception of funding from Canadian Heritage and other federal institutions to community organizations. “While the situation seems to have improved dramatically this year, we remain watchful for next year and beyond. Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages is both appropriate and useful,” says Ms. Kenny.
The FCFA is anxious to see the findings of the study the Commissioner has recently initiated on leadership in a bilingual public service. The Fédération supports the idea of extending the right of public servants to work in the official language of their choice to other regions. “Complying with the Official Languages Act and going beyond obligations requires that the individual parts of the Act no longer be seen as isolated components. As the Commissioner points out, the ability to work in French has a positive influence on the ability to offer services in French; everything is interdependent,” states Ms. Kenny.
The FCFA is a national organization that includes Francophone representative associations of nine provinces and the three territories, as well as ten national organizations. Its role is to defend and promote the rights and interests of the French-Speaking population outside Quebec.
- 30- Information: Serge Quinty, Communications Director, FCFA du Canada
Tel.: (613) 241-7600
Cell.: (613) 286-4820
“The Commissioner’s report seems to echo several of the findings and recommendations put forward by our own organization last November, in a document looking back at four decades of the Official Languages Act,” says FCFA President, Marie-France Kenny. “When leadership is lacking and the Act is seen solely as a string of obligations, several federal institutions end up doing only the bare minimum. That’s how we interpret the Commissioner’s reference to a ‘laissez-faire’ approach.”
The FCFA shares the Commissioner’s concern relative to the Treasury Board’s weakened support to federal institutions on official languages. Since the abolition of the Public Service Agency, responsibilities, such as establishing the terms according to which federal institutions must provide their services in both official languages, have fallen to an office within the Treasury Board. “If the responsibilities have remained the same, the resources have decreased, a situation that could have a very real impact on the ability of Canadians to obtain services in the language of their choice,” comments Ms. Kenny.
The Fédération is also pleased to see that the Commissioner’s report raises the issue of the significant impact of delays of confirmation and reception of funding from Canadian Heritage and other federal institutions to community organizations. “While the situation seems to have improved dramatically this year, we remain watchful for next year and beyond. Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages is both appropriate and useful,” says Ms. Kenny.
The FCFA is anxious to see the findings of the study the Commissioner has recently initiated on leadership in a bilingual public service. The Fédération supports the idea of extending the right of public servants to work in the official language of their choice to other regions. “Complying with the Official Languages Act and going beyond obligations requires that the individual parts of the Act no longer be seen as isolated components. As the Commissioner points out, the ability to work in French has a positive influence on the ability to offer services in French; everything is interdependent,” states Ms. Kenny.
The FCFA is a national organization that includes Francophone representative associations of nine provinces and the three territories, as well as ten national organizations. Its role is to defend and promote the rights and interests of the French-Speaking population outside Quebec.
Tel.: (613) 241-7600
Cell.: (613) 286-4820