Corporate Services and Economic Development
Committee
Comité des services organisationnels et du développement économique
and Council / et au Conseil
6 April 2010 / le 6 avril 2010
Submitted by/Soumis par : Kent Kirkpatrick,
City Manager /
Directeur des services municipaux
Contact Person / Personne ressource : Renée Bertrand, Manager,
French
Language Services Branch / Gestionnaire, Direction des services en
français
(613)
580-2424 x 21453, Renee.Bertrand@ottawa.ca
SUBJECT:
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OBJET :
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That the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee (CSEDC) recommend that Council receive this report for information.
The purpose
of this report is to provide CSEDC and City Council with a status update on the
progress made in 2008 and 2009 with respect to the advancement and ongoing
implementation of the City’s Bilingualism
Policy. The report highlights some of the successes and challenges
experienced in 2008 and 2009 and identifies actions to be undertaken by
management to address these in 2010.
In
keeping with the historic presence of Francophones in Ottawa and the
establishment of laws governing language rights in Ontario and in Canada, the
City enacted, in 2001, Ottawa By‑law 2001‑170 and the Bilingualism Policy (2001), which
recognized the equality of English and French language groups and sets out the
rights of residents and municipal employees to choose the language in which
they wish to be served by or conduct business with the City.
On the
2006 Census, about 143,220 persons state that French is their mother
tongue or the first official language they learned, representing almost 18 per
cent of Ottawa’s total population.
In
January 2009, Council and the City’s senior management reiterated their
commitment to bilingualism and the delivery of quality services in both English
and French. This was in response to two reports, one from the French Language
Services Advisory Committee (FLSAC), and the Le Blanc and LeBlanc report,
which provided an assessment of the implementation of the Policy. While undertaking concrete actions, the City also indicated
that the delivery of services in French would be a component of the work plans
being developed by all municipal departments in the pursuit of service
excellence.
Management’s
response to these reports strengthened the implementation and governance of
bilingualism as a priority and an integral component of all City planning exercises
and service delivery. The same approach
is also recommended for all City committees, boards, partnerships and decision‑making
bodies, so that these bodies consider and are guided by the spirit of the
Policy.
As of
31 December 2009, about 2,845 or 20 per cent of budgeted
City positions were designated as calling for some knowledge of both languages.
Policies and procedures have been implemented to
advance the ongoing management of position designations.
The Organizational Development and Performance Department and the French Language Services Branch collaborate to support the development of annual departmental work plans ensuring these plans reflect the intent of Article 1.6 of the Policy, which includes measures for improving French-language services.
To
successfully reach the language proficiency levels required of their positions,
the City’s managers need to prioritize second‑language training. For all
employees, there are 3 annual language training sessions with an average
enrolment of 243 per session. Typically more than 70 per cent of the
participants successfully complete their training levels.
Translation
Services, a division of the French Language Services Branch (FLSB), receives an
average of 70 translation or revision requests per business day. This means that the City translates or revises more than
17,400 pages of text annually.
On
March 25, 2009, the Mayor kicked off a campaign aimed at increasing
awareness of bilingualism among municipal employees. The slogan for this campaign is: “Une Ville, deux langues
/ One City, two languages”.
This
report outlines several examples of the French delivery of City services such
as improving the funding of French child care
services, a significant increase in recreational services and bilingualism at
public events and consultations.
French
Language Services is also responsible for receiving and processing complaints
regarding the absence, or quality, of services in French. FLSB received 26 complaints in 2008 and
37 complaints in 2009. Complaints
are generally due to oversight or a lack of understanding of the Policy.
Since 2002, the Department of Canadian Heritage and the City of Ottawa have an agreement to improve French-language services and the bilingual character of Canada’s capital. This report highlights several examples of projects carried out in 2008 and 2009 as part of this agreement.
In conclusion, the period
covering 2008 and 2009 has been a period of substantial evolution in the
implementation of the Bilingualism Policy at the City. Additionally, as identified in this report,
management will continue to advance this policy as a priority through the
actions and directions identified for 2010.
L’objectif de ce rapport est de
faire état au CSODÉ ainsi qu’au Conseil municipal des progrès accomplis en 2008
et en 2009 au chapitre de l’avancement et de la mise en œuvre continue de la Politique de bilinguisme de la Ville
d’Ottawa. Ce rapport présente les succès atteints et les difficultés éprouvées
en 2008 et en 2009, tout en énumérant les mesures qui seront entreprises par la
direction en 2010.
En raison de la présence historique des
Francophones à Ottawa et de la mise en place des lois régissant les droits
linguistiques en Ontario et au Canada, la Ville adoptait en 2001 le règlement
2001‑170 et la Politique de bilinguisme, qui reconnaissent l’égalité des groupes de langue française et de
langue anglaise, et établissent le droit des résidents et des employés
municipaux de choisir la langue dans laquelle ils désirent être servis par la
Ville ou mener des affaires avec elle.
Au recensement de 2006, quelques
143 220 personnes déclarent le français comme langue maternelle ou
comme première langue officielle parlée, ce qui représente tout près de
18 p. 100 de la population totale d’Ottawa.
En janvier 2009, le Conseil municipal et la
haute direction de la Ville réitèrent leur engagement envers le bilinguisme et
la prestation de services de qualité en français comme en anglais. La Ville
répond ainsi à deux rapports, soit le rapport du Comité consultatif sur les
services en français (CCSF) et le rapport Le Blanc et Leblanc, établissant un
bilan de la mise en œuvre de la politique. Tout en s’engageant à prendre des
mesures concrètes, la Ville indique de plus que la prestation de services en français
sera l’une des composantes des plans de travail que les divers services
municipaux sont à élaborer dans la poursuite de l’excellence des services.
La réponse de la direction à ces rapports a
renforcé la mise en œuvre et la gouvernance du bilinguisme comme priorité et
partie intégrante de tous les exercices de planification et tous les moyens de
prestation des services de la Ville. Cette démarche est également recommandée
pour tous les comités, conseils, partenariats et entités décisionnelles de la Ville,
de façon que ces organismes prennent en compte l’esprit de la politique et
soient régis par lui.
Au 31 décembre 2009, quelque
2 845 postes budgétés par la Ville, soit une proportion de
20 p. 100, sont désignés comme demandant une connaissance des deux
langues. Des politiques et des procédures ont été mises en place pour
promouvoir la désignation continue.
Le Service du développement et du
rendement organisationnels et la Direction des services en français appuient
l’élaboration de plans de travail annuels pour les services, veillant à ce que
ces plans reflètent l’esprit de l’article 1,6 de la politique, qui prévoit des
mesures d’amélioration des services en français.
Pour atteindre avec succès les niveaux de
compétence linguistique de leur poste, les gestionnaires de la Ville devront
prioriser la formation en langue seconde. Pour ce qui est de l’ensemble des
employés, 243 de ceux-ci ont en moyenne participé à l’une ou l’autre des
trois sessions annuelles de formation en langue seconde. En moyenne, plus de
70 p. 100 d’entre eux ont complété leur niveau de formation.
Le service de traduction de la Ville, une des
composantes de la Direction des services en français, reçoit en moyenne
70 demandes de traduction ou de révision par jour ouvrable. C’est dire que
la Ville traduit ou révise plus de 17 400 pages de textes par année.
Le 25 mars 2009, le maire donnait le coup
d’envoi à une campagne de promotion du bilinguisme à l’intention des employés
municipaux. Le slogan de cette campagne est « Une Ville, deux langues / One
City, two languages ».
Le présent rapport donne quelques exemples de
services offerts en français par la Ville. Il est entre autres question de
l’accroissement du financement des services de garderies, de l’importante
augmentation des services de loisirs en français et du bilinguisme lors des
événements et consultations publics.
La Direction des services en français est aussi
chargée de recevoir et de traiter les plaintes concernant l’absence ou la
mauvaise qualité des services en français. La DSF a reçu 26 plaintes en
2008, comparativement à 37 en 2009. Les plaintes
peuvent être attribuables à un oubli ou à une méconnaissance de la Politique.
Depuis 2002, le ministère du Patrimoine
canadien et la Ville d’Ottawa disposent d’une entente visant à améliorer les
services en français et le visage bilingue de la capitale du Canada. Ce rapport
présente quelques exemples des projets menés au cours de 2008 et de 2009 dans
le cadre de l’entente.
En conclusion, les années 2008 et 2009 ont été
marquées par une évolution substantielle sur le plan de la mise en œuvre de la
Politique de bilinguisme de la Ville. Comme on pourra le lire dans le rapport,
la direction poursuit ses efforts pour faire de la politique une priorité. En
font foi les mesures et les orientations adoptées pour 2010.
Ottawa
has a long and well-established history of bilingualism. Étienne Brûlé,
known as the first Franco‑Ontarian, first set foot on Ontario soil in
1610.
At the
inception of Bytown, a large French‑speaking community was already
present in the region. In fact, the region’s
bilingualism was one of the influential factors in the decision to make Ottawa
the Capital City of Canada. In 1872, Ottawa
was led by the first of many French‑Canadian Mayors, Eugène Martineau.
Over
the years, municipalities throughout the region often sought to offer their
residents services in both English and French. For
example, in the late 1960’s the former City of Ottawa introduced a language
Policy. Similar measures were enacted in Vanier, Cumberland and Gloucester.
In 1969, Canada enacted the Official Languages Act and English and French became the official languages of the country.
The
Province of Ontario enacted the French
Language Services Act in 1986. This Act allows, among other things, Ontario
municipalities to introduce legislation on French-language services.
On May 9, 2001, the current City of Ottawa enacted By‑law 2001‑170 and a Bilingualism Policy.
The purpose of these measures was to:
· Recognize the equality of English and French speaking
groups and citizens;
· Establish the right of residents and municipal employees to
choose the language (English and French) in which they wish to receive
services, or conduct business with, the City;
· Designate bilingual positions to enable effective language specific service delivery;
· Govern the delivery of all municipal services; and
· Define the accountability of senior executives with respect
to the management of services in both languages.
In
2005, at the request of the City of Ottawa, the Ontario Legislature amended the
City of Ottawa Act, making it
mandatory for the City to “adopt a policy respecting the use of English and
French languages in all or specified parts of the administration of the City
and in the provision of all or specified municipal services by the City”.
Additionally,
in response to a legal challenge initiated by the Canadians for Language
Fairness in 2006, Madam Justice Métivier of the Superior Court of Ontario ruled
that the City’s bilingualism Policy was both validly enacted by City Council
and did not constitute a breach of Canadian
Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Also,
in 2008 and 2009, various municipal bodies, including the Ottawa Public Library
Board, Police Services Board and the Ottawa Police Service, adopted policies
and procedures on bilingualism.
According
to the 2006 Canada Census, Ottawa is home to more than 311,230 French‑speaking
citizens, representing more than 39% of the City’s total population.
Moreover, 17.9 per cent of the population declares French as its mother
tongue or as its first official language spoken, representing
143,220 people.
Ottawa
Francophones form a lively, vibrant community that, over the years, has built
up a network of French‑language institutions and organizations in the areas
of health, the economy, arts, culture, education, social and ‑community
services, etc. The year 2010 marks the
ten-year anniversary of the implementation of performance measures relating to
bilingualism at the City of Ottawa.
City
Council and senior managers reiterated their commitment to delivering quality
municipal services in English and French in January 2009, in response to two
reports, which assessed the implementation of the Bilingualism Policy, and in particular assessed the quality French
services to residents and visitors to Ottawa.
The
first of these reports – prepared by two consultants at the request of the
French Language Services Advisory Committee (FLSAC) – was entitled “Road
Map: Toward Excellence in the Application of the City of Ottawa’s Bilingualism
Policy”, also referred to as the Le Blanc and LeBlanc report. The
report proposed a dozen recommendations to expedite the implementation of the
Policy and improve the active offer of quality French services to residents and
visitors to Ottawa.
Key
recommendations contained in the Le Blanc and LeBlanc report include:
1.
“The sustained
commitment of municipal leaders, including both elected officials and senior
staff, starting at the highest levels, is indispensable; this commitment must
be regularly conveyed in clear terms to both the employees and the public, and
day-to-day actions must always confirm its authenticity.”
2. “The proper understanding of the legal framework for
‘equality of rights and privileges for both linguistic groups’ (Bilingualism
Policy, Section R.1) is the first step in triggering a process of
commitment in this regard.”
3. “A thorough understanding of the specific characteristics
and needs of the Anglophone and Francophone language communities being served,
both of which are becoming increasingly diversified, as well as of their
respective territorial distributions, is essential to the informed commitment,
effective leadership and administrative involvement that are needed to achieve
excellence in internal and external services to the public in English and
French.”
A
second report was also submitted to City Council from the French Language
Services Advisory Committee in January 2009. This report highlighted the
FLSAC’s reactions to the Le Blanc and LeBlanc report. Echoing the consultants’ recommendations, the FLSAC
submitted several recommendations, including the following:
Municipal management acted upon the recommendations of these two reports by proposing a series of actions targeting the achievement of service excellence in the provision of services in both languages. These actions are listed in a document entitled Management Response to the Report ‘Road Map: Toward Excellence in the Application of the City of Ottawa’s Bilingualism Policy’, submitted to Council by the City Manager in January 2009.
This
document reports on action taken over the past few years, including, but not
limited to, the following:
· The designation of bilingual positions;
· Catch-up increases to funding for daycare services;
· Improvement to French recreational services;
· City participation in various projects led by the
Francophone community; and
· Directions concerning the management of public events and
community consultations.
Additionally,
it identifies that management undertakes to:
· Promote the Bilingualism
Policy among its employees and managers;
· Finalize the designation of bilingual positions; and
· Develop annual work plans for each of the municipal
departments, including actions to improve bilingualism and the delivery of
services in French.
The
following pages highlight examples of actions undertaken by the City in 2008
and 2009 to advance bilingualism in Ottawa.
1. Service Excellence in Both Languages
In 2007, Council reconfirmed the importance of
bilingualism when mid‑mandate strategic plan underscored the fact that
the City has two languages for the provision of service.
The
City’s senior managers adopted the document “We see a City,” which set
out the foundation to achieve excellence in the provision of municipal
services. While this document makes no direct
reference to bilingualism or two languages of service, it can be used to govern
the offer of municipal services, in English as well as French, for years to
come. The various municipal departments should
soon develop work plans that will include measures to improve the delivery of
services in French. This quest for excellence was the motivating factor behind
the restructuring of municipal services in 2008 and 2009.
City staff has received feedback that bilingualism should have been included more
fully in certain City documents or initiatives in 2008 and 2009. Examples
include:
· White papers on governance;
· Various documents proposing the creation of a public health
board at the City of Ottawa;
· Redevelopment of Lansdowne Park; and
· Procedures for holding public consultations and events.
Actions
to be undertaken in 2010
In the
pursuit of service excellence, the management of bilingualism will
systematically be integrated within the City’s various planning exercises,
including the following:
· Development of annual work plans by the various municipal
departments (also see section 5);
· Design of a recreational master plan that includes improved
services in French (in progress);
· Update of the City’s cultural and artistic policy (in
progress);
· The encouragement of bilingual services in partnerships
developed by the City; and
· Publication of documents in cooperation with the City for
All Women Initiative (CAWI), including one of its publications entitled “Equity
and Inclusion Lens; Community Snapshot; Francophones”.
2. French Language Services
Advisory Committee and French Language Services Branch
In
addition to Council and executive management, two municipal entities are also
mandated to support the management and governance of bilingualism at the City
and to recommend actions to Council and/or management that may improve delivery
of French‑language services. They are
the French Language Services Advisory Committee (which makes recommendations
primarily to Council) and the French Language Services Branch (which makes
recommendations primarily to management).
2.1 French Language Services Advisory
Committee (FLSAC)
Comprised of volunteers, the FLSAC is entrusted with the mandate of advising the City on matters concerning bilingualism and French-language services. It proposes ways to improve the management and governance of these services.
In 2008
and 2009, the key files that received the FLSAC’s attention included the
following:
· Municipal governance, particularly white papers published
by the City in the spring of 2009;
· 2008 and 2009 municipal budgets and their impact on the
City’s ability to meet its commitments regarding language of services;
· Funding for Francophone organizations;
· Bilingualism in public transportation services;
· Proposal to create a public health board;
· Development of a recreational master plan; and
·
Opening of the
Shenkman Arts Centre in Orléans.
2.2 French Language Services Branch (FLSB)
Following
the restructuring of the City’s administrative structure in 2008 and 2009, the
FLSB (formerly under the City Clerk’s
Office) was re-pointed to report directly to the City Manager.
Key
initiatives undertaken by the FLSB over the past two years include the
following:
· Development of annual work plans for various departments;
Designation of Bilingual Positions Project;
· Management of the agreement between the Department of
Canadian Heritage and the City of Ottawa regarding the promotion of French‑language
services including One City, Two Languages / Une ville, deux langues”
promotional campaign; and
· Resolution of French‑language service complaints.
The French Language Services Branch is also responsible
for the City’s Translation Services.
3. Designation
of Bilingual Positions
The Bilingualism Policy states that the City shall designate a certain number of positions as requiring competencies in both languages. This is one of the most substantive ways of ensuring quality service delivery in both English and French.
The policy designates all positions from levels one through three as bilingual and day one ready. This is to ensure that senior administrative officials are able to act as spokespeople for the City, while exemplifying leadership in bilingualism for staff.
The
Policy also requires that positions at all other levels within the organization
be reviewed and appropriately designated to enable the City to effectively
offer services in both languages.
3.1 Executive and Senior
Management Positions
Prior
to the organizational realignment in 2008 and 2009, there were approximately
35 positions within levels one through three. Incumbents in these positions were required to meet the
language requirements for their positions on hire or commit to meeting these
requirements by taking second‑language training. In some cases where candidates did not meet the position’s
language requirements, the hiring was subject to City Council approval. As of
December 31, 2009, an exemption by Council is mandated for all level one
through three positions where the selected candidate does not meet the language
requirement.
The
realignment of services in 2009 resulted in the elimination, or change in
reporting relationship of some level one through three positions. Twenty
positions remain at levels one through three and continue to be designated
under policy provisions. Additionally, the designation requirements remain
unchanged for all positions that were moved from level three to level four as a
result of the corporate realignment.
Actions to be undertaken in 2010
In-keeping with the spirit of the Bilingual Policy,
actions are currently under way to set-up a procedure to ensure that all
management positions that were designated prior to realignment, and continue to
exist in the organization, will remain designated, regardless of their new
hierarchical level.
3.2 Other Positions
In
June 2008, the City completed the Designation
of Bilingual Positions Project. Upon completion of this project, all
City positions underwent an assessment to determine if they required knowledge of both languages.
This
project was led by the French Language Services Branch in cooperation with the
Human Resources Department, and was completed in consultation with all work
units across the corporation.
As of July 1, 2008, the City has practiced what is known as continuing designation. As with the Designation Project, the purpose of this approach is to ensure that the City can rely on a workforce that is sufficiently large and qualified to offer quality services in both languages at all times.
Continuing
designation is covered by a series of policies and procedures that have been
approved by Senior Management:
·
Assessment and Testing Procedures;
·
Language Designation of Positions
Procedures;
·
Recruitment and Staffing Policy;
·
Second-Language Training Policy; and
·
Second-Language Training Registration
Procedures.
As of June 2008, other actions have been taken to
ensure designation of an adequate number of positions and recruitment of
bilingual staff:
· Standardization of job‑posting procedures and of
texts describing language competencies;
· Entering of information regarding designated positions in
the City’s information and data records; and
·
More systematic administration
of language tests for candidates applying for designated positions.
Table 1 - Designated and Budgeted Positions |
||||
Without
Library |
Day 1 |
Designated |
Total Positions |
% Designated |
June 2009 |
1,567 |
781 |
14,202 |
16.5% |
December 2009 |
1,571 |
791 |
14,194 |
16.6% |
February 2010 |
1,576 |
786 |
14,251 |
16.6% |
* A
position that is “Designated Day 1 Ready” requires that the candidate meet the
language requirements of the position when the candidate assumes his or her
position.
** In
the case of a “Designated Bilingual” position, the candidate undertakes to
attain the language competencies required for the position by undertaking to
take the language training offered to City employees.
*** Variances
in the table reflect the changes due to the 2008-2009 municipal realignment.
It should be noted that the percentage of designated positions varies widely from one service area to the other, based on the mandate of each service area.
In
2008, it was estimated that bilingual employees held more than 80 per cent of
designated positions at the City.
Actions to be undertaken in 2010
In
2010, the Human Resources Department will work with management to
systematically assess language competencies of candidates seeking designated
positions and of employees in designated positions wishing to be assessed.
Results will be captured in the City’s human resource information system.
Actions
are underway to ensure that the French Language Services Branch will be
consulted more systematically on issues regarding the designation of positions,
in accordance with the 2008 procedures.
Work is
ongoing to refine designation procedures for certain multi-incumbent positions
(firefighters, bus drivers, paramedics) and to standardize recruitment
campaigns and staffing procedures.
4. Work
Plans for French-Language Services
Article 1.6 of the 2001 Bilingualism Policy requires each of the City’s departments to prepare an annual plan to improve the provision of French-language services that will be subject to annual reporting. This requirement remains outstanding, despite a request by City Council in 2007 in this regard.
Along
with the designation of bilingual positions, annual plans are the main means of
implementing the Policy and fulfilling the City’s commitment to improving the
provision of French-language services.
It is
important to note that these annual performance-reporting plans are currently
being prepared as part of the departmental plans on service excellence and are
targeted for completion by June 2010. This means that actions regarding bilingualism
and French-language services will be included in the work plans required from
all departments moving forward.
The
Organizational Development and Performance Department (ODP) is mandated to
support the various departments in completing their service excellence annual
plans. French Language Services is working with ODP to develop tools and
templates for use in the preparation and completion of these plans, as well as
tools to support their implementation.
In
May 2008, senior management defined the direction that would oversee
delivery of all municipal departments. In a document entitled “We see a
City” it chose service excellence as the objective that would guide the
actions of all employees. Having the various departments prepare annual service
excellence work plans is part of this direction. As the City of Ottawa has on
numerous occasions committed to offering services of comparable quality in
English and French, it goes without saying that work plans will include
concrete actions to improve French-language services in the overall quest of
service excellence.
5. Language
Training
Every year, the Learning Centre offers City employees, particularly those in designated positions, the opportunity to improve their second‑language competencies. The City also uses a variety of means to meet the needs of the various learners: group sessions, one‑on‑one tutoring, intact team training, computer‑assisted work, etc.
5.1 Executive and Senior
Managers
A
number of senior staff in levels one to three positions, which are designated
under the Bilingualism Policy, are
required to take language training to improve their French‑language
competencies, since they are often called upon to act as spokespersons for the
City.
As of 2006, there has been a mechanism to assess training participation and progress levels of executive and senior managers. In 2008, 14 of 38 senior managers from levels one through three were required to take training in French as a second language. Throughout the course of the year, those senior managers participated on average in 31 hours of training.
These
figures are a significant increase when compared to 2007 when this group
averaged 12 hours of training.
Despite
an increase in participation in 2008, substantive progress is incomplete due to
the following:
· Many senior manager’s schedules currently allow for very
few hours to be dedicated to training;
· Course participation is not consistent;
· Senior managers have limited opportunity to practice what
they have learned in their courses; and
· Some managers do not continue to prioritize language
training once they have attained the competencies required for their positions.
In
2009, senior management participation levels in language training fell once
again to an average of 17 hours a year among the staff required to
take training.
This
situation can be explained by the fact that senior managers played key roles in
the municipal restructuring, the transit strike, and key City projects, leaving
limited time to allocate to learning French.
Actions
to be undertaken in 2010
To improve the progress of senior
managers in advancing second-language competency:
· The
City Manager will
reinforce the importance of learning the
second language as a conditions of employment;
· The City Manager commits to working with senior managers to
develop action plans to optimize training opportunities, including setting
minimum levels of language training per year; and
· Managers who have attained their language proficiency for
their positions will be encouraged to continue training to strengthen skill
retention.
Additionally, the City will:
· Continue
to hire bilingual people for key positions; and
· Include
the learning of both languages in the training offered to level four and
five managers being groomed for promotion to higher levels within the
organization.
Each
year, the City’s Learning Centre offers three 12‑week second‑language
training sessions. In 2008 and 2009, an average of 243 employees
participated in each of these sessions.
|
2008 |
2009 |
French as a second language |
644 |
708 |
English as a second language |
50 |
58 |
Total |
694 |
766 |
Average per session |
231 |
255 |
Success rates are always high year-over-year; this means that the vast majority of those attain their learning objectives and progress to the next level of training.
Session |
2008 |
2009 |
Average |
January to March |
74.1% |
75.6% |
74.9% |
April to June |
69.4% |
71.3% |
70.3% |
September to December |
78.4% |
63.5% |
69.8% |
Annual average |
74.0% |
69.8% |
71.8% |
Furthermore, in both 2008 and
2009, 88 per cent of French language students said they were satisfied or
very satisfied with the second-language training they received.
Finally, during the same period, targeted language training projects were carried out among specific employee groups, i.e., bus operators and employees at the Gary J. Armstrong Long‑Term Health Centre and at the Shenkman Arts Centre.
Table 4 – Sample of Participants in Second-Language
Training by Work Groups |
||
|
2008 |
2009 |
Bus drivers * |
72 |
21 * |
Gary J. Armstrong Long‑Term Health Centre |
28 |
31 |
Shenkman Arts Centre ** |
n/a |
7 |
Total |
100 |
59 |
* Language
courses for bus drivers were disrupted from January to June 2009 due to
the transit strike.
** The Shenkman
Arts Centre opened its doors in June 2009.
Intact team language training offered to groups of employees make it possible to delve into language‑related concepts specific to the groups’ required tasks. For example, a training module was developed specifically for bus operators with financial support from Canadian Heritage. The training module was designed to place priority on oral expression such as greeting clients, providing directions, being prepared to react in emergencies, etc.
Every year, the City’s Learning Centre offers employees a
number of professional development courses in French.
The goal of these courses is multifaceted, and includes:
· Allowing
Francophone employees to take training in their mother tongue;
· Allowing
Anglophones employees to further their knowledge of French in a context other
than a second‑language course; and
· Demonstrating a commitment to enabling staff, and encouraging them, to work in the official language of their choice.
|
2008 |
2009 |
Number of sessions |
12 |
13 |
Number of participants |
69 |
85 |
Examples of workshops offered in
French:
· Communicating effectively;
· Conflict resolution;
· Improving productivity; and
· Effective teams.
Through Translation Services, the
French Language Services Branch offers the City a variety of linguistic
services in both languages:
· Translation
from one language to the other;
· Revision
and proofreading of texts in either language;
· Coordination
of the centralized budget for translation and simultaneous interpretation;
· Maintenance
and updating of a terminological information bank specific to the City of
Ottawa; and
· Linguistic advice.
To perform these tasks, the FLSB
employs three translators, four clerks and some thirty freelance
translators.
|
2008 |
2009 |
2008–2009 Total |
|||
|
Number of texts |
Number of words |
Number of texts |
Number of words |
Number of texts |
Number of words |
Translations completed by
City translators |
6,693 |
906,953 |
10,697 |
560,189 |
17,390 |
1,467,142 |
Translations entrusted to freelancers |
8,340 |
5,209,346 |
8,807 |
5,663,637 |
17,147 |
10,872,983 |
Total |
15,033 |
6,116,299 |
19,504 |
6,223,826 |
34,537 |
12,340,125 |
With an average of 350 words per page, the City translates, or revises, more than 17,400 pages of text annually. This also means that Translation Services receives and processes an average of 70 requests per business day.
Despite the volume, a survey of Translation Service clients, i.e. the various City departments, showed that 98 per cent of clients are satisfied or very satisfied with services. Similarly, 91 per cent of respondents felt that translation deadlines were satisfactory or very satisfactory.
In 2008–2009, the City launched
several initiatives to further improve its linguistic services:
· Development
of protocols for urgent translations from Ottawa Public Health (including H1N1
vaccination management), Office of Emergency Management, IT Services and
OC Transpo (particularly during the public transportation strike);
· Improvements
to text flow/routing software;
· Using
MultiTrans, set‑up of a virtual bank of high‑quality standard texts
in order to speed the translation of similar texts;
· Continually updating the
City’s terminological bank; and the,
· Creation
of a revision/adaptation position within Ottawa Public Health.
Lastly, the Language Helpline activities were consolidated in 2008-2009. Accessible to all City employees at
extension 21000, this phone line service provides advice on difficulties of the
French language and makes it possible to complete short translations.
Table 7 - Language Helpline (extension 21000) Inquiries |
|||
|
2008 |
2009 |
Total |
Number of enquiries |
1,931 |
3,018 |
4,949 |
Findings reveal that demand for
this service increased by 56.3% from 2008 to 2009.
The Translation Service is increasingly becoming a centre of expertise in municipal bilingualism. Texts translated at the City of Ottawa were made available to the Association des municipalités francophones de l’Ontario (AFMO), which used them to populate information data banks accessible to its members and to members of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM).
In
response to two reports submitted to Council and discussed earlier, the City
undertook to ensure that employees familiarize themselves with its Bilingualism Policy. This mandate was
entrusted to the French Language Services Branch.
The “One City, Two Languages / Une ville, deux langues” Campaign was
launched in 2009.
The campaign’s slogan and
corporate signature (stylized flower combining the Ontario trillium and the
fleur-de-lis of the Francophonie) were designed following consultation with
City employees.
Launched by the Mayor as part of his
Francophone Rendez-vous on
March 25, 2009, the campaign primarily involved distributing
promotional items and meeting with groups of employees.
Promotional items for the
campaign:
· 2009 and 2010 calendars;
· ID lanyards;
· Two
lapel pins;
· Cue
cards on active service delivery in both languages;
· Tent
cards indicating that service is available in both languages, to be placed on a
counter;
· Note
pads promoting the Language Helpline service
(extension 21000); and
· A
stand and a backdrop in campaign colours.
In 2009, over thirty
presentations promoting bilingualism were given, bringing together
approximately 400 municipal employees.
During the “One City, Two
Languages” campaign, French Language Services increased the number of visits to
senior managers in order to raise awareness of the policy and promote quality
delivery of services in French.
Though originally intended for municipal employees, the “One City, Two Languages” material was occasionally used by the general public. The stand and backdrop have been used at job fairs, trade fairs and community events.
A few other events at City Hall have also promoted bilingualism: the Mayor’s annual Francophone Rendez-vous and the anniversary of the Franco‑Ontarian flag (September 25) come to mind. The Rendez‑vous welcomes some 150 community leaders; and Flag Day rallies engaging more than 700 children at City Hall.
Every day, the City of Ottawa offers countless services of all kinds in both of Canada’s official languages. It is impossible to list all of the services that the City offers in French. Instead, we will take a few notable examples that caught our attention in 2008 and 2009.
The City’s Children’s Services Branch has had a “catch-up” plan in place since 2007 to ensure parity in the funding of English and French-language child care services. Initially, approximately 11 per cent of the City’s expenditures went towards subsidizing French‑language child care services. Today, more than 16 per cent of municipal subsidies go to these services. Accordingly, the budget share spent on French-language services corresponds to the demographic of Francophone children within our city.
The number of activities offered in French has continued to rise in the past two years, a trend that has been noted since 2005. Several new initiatives have also been developed to promote these services and to recruit bilingual staff. Lastly, new activities have been offered in response to the needs of target clientele (adults, seniors, and children with special needs).
|
2005 –2006 |
2006 –2007 |
2007 –2008 |
2008 –2009 |
2005 to 2009 increase |
Number of programs offered |
789 |
860 |
891 |
1,438 |
649 |
Annual increase in % |
- - |
9.0 |
3.6 |
61.4 |
82.3 |
Number of registrations |
3,664 |
4,064 |
4,719 |
6,272 |
2,608 |
Annual increase in % |
- - |
10.9 |
16.1 |
32.9 |
71.2 |
Registration revenues |
255,557 |
341,537 |
418,409 |
556,391 |
300,834 |
Annual increase in % |
- - |
33.6 |
22.5 |
33.0 |
117.7 |
% of services offered in
French |
4.4 |
4.1 |
4.4 |
6.2 |
1.8 |
Annual increase in % |
- - |
(-0.3) |
0.3 |
1.8 |
1.8 |
This table illustrates that,
between 2005 and 2009:
· The
number of activities offered in French increased by 82.3 per cent;
· The
number of registrations increased by 71.2 per cent; and
· Revenues from registrations
in French‑language activities increased by 117.7 per cent.
These
increases are a clear indication that Francophones wish to register for
activities held in French when the City actively offers them.
In 2009, activities offered in French accounted for only 6.2 per cent of total activities offered by the City, however, the demographic weight of Francophones lies somewhere around the 18 per cent mark. Additional activities should continue to increase to close the gap to ensure the volume of activities meets the demographic requirments.
Action to be undertaken in 2010
Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services will continue to take concrete measures to further develop and promote French-language programs and services.
The Shenkman Arts Centre opened its doors in Orléans in June 2009. The Centre has offered a wide array of French‑language recreational courses and live performances since the fall of 2009. Some of these activities are offered directly by the City, while others are offered by community partners, including the Mouvement d’implication des francophones d’Orléans (MIFO), which programs all French‑language performances and some of the recreational courses.
Action to be undertaken in 2010
The Shenkman Arts Centre management team will continue to take concrete measures to further develop and promote French-language programming and services.
9.4 Bus Announcement System
In 2008
and 2009, work continued to ensure that, once implemented, the new automated
announcement service aboard OC Transpo buses will be fully bilingual. This
is a marked improvement from 2003 when the O-Train was first introduced.
Over the years, City procedures regarding bilingualism at public events and community consultations have remained an ongoing challenge.
In
December 2009, the City Manager reminded concerned staff of the City’s
practices and requested that the Communications Department and the Office of
Protocol monitor these activities moving forward.
The French Language Services
Branch receives and handles complaints from residents and employees regarding
French-language services.
2008 |
26 |
2009 |
37 |
When handling a complaint, French
Language Services seeks to:
· Remedy
the situation (e.g. redo a sign that has a mistake); and
· Prevent
similar situations from reoccurring.
Complaints are often isolated or
anecdotal, or are due to oversight for the most part by managers or lack of
awareness of the Bilingualism Policy.
Some
examples include:
· Public
notices distributed in English only;
· French‑language
mistakes on permanent signs in OC Transpo stations;
· Machine‑translated
texts that are widely distributed with no prior proofreading;
· Licence plates of private
snowploughs which, until 2009, were English only, as were taxi plates until
2005; and
· Employees who respond to a
Francophone correspondent in English.
Lastly, a few complaints were
received with respect to the absence of or insufficient use of French at public
events or consultations.
Since 2002, an agreement to improve French-language municipal services has been entered into between the Department of Canadian Heritage and the City of Ottawa. Under this agreement, both parties undertake to invest funds for the aforementioned purpose. While Canadian Heritage provides funds directly to the City, the latter undertakes to invest staff time to pursue the various projects selected.
The original agreement
(2002–2006) was renewed for a two‑year period from 2007 to 2009
and, more recently, for 2009–2010.
Here are a few examples of
projects undertaken in 2008 and 2009 through this agreement:
· Improved
recreational services in French (better promotion of activities, training of
bilingual staff, etc.);
· Contribution
to improved services for itinerants and vulnerable tenants, specifically by
supporting the Coalition pour prévenir
l’itinérance chez les francophones d’Ottawa (CPIFO);
· Improved
language‑training courses offered by the City, including development of a
module specifically dedicated to bus drivers;
· Support
for the Business Assistance Program which, under the responsibility of the Regroupement des gens d’affaires de la
capitale nationale (RGA), strives to encourage merchants and businesses to
improve services in both languages;
· Creation
of a editor/terminologist position within the Translation Service;
· Specialized
exchanges on the delivery of French‑language services with the Association francophone des municipalités de
l’Ontario (AFMO) and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM);
· Creation
of a revision/adaptation position within Ottawa Public Health;
· Development
of protocols to ensure delivery of emergency services in both languages;
· More
content on the Raconte-moi Ottawa Web
site regarding Francophone history in the region;
· Preparation
and on‑line launch of an interactive directory of French‑language
socio-community resources (this Internet
site has an English and French search interface); and
· Contribution to the International Symposium on Bilingual Cities, to be held in Ottawa in March 2010.
Many of the projects carried out under this federal‑municipal agreement aim to assist the City in establishing permanent procedures and practices to improve French‑language services. Other projects under this agreement strive to enhance the bilingual character of Ottawa as the Nation’s Capital.
For more information or to obtain
a complete activity report please contact
the French Language Services Branch, which manages the agreement on the
City’s behalf.
There are no environmental implications associated with this report.
RURAL IMPLICATIONS
There are no specific rural implications associated with this report.
No specific public consultations were undertaken in the production of this report. Consultation with Human Resources and Organizational Development and Performance was undertaken.
There are no legal / risk management implications associated with this report.
The report
supports the following City Strategic Plan priorities related to service
delivery and a sustainable health and active city:
1.
Continue to improve the service culture at the City
specifically so that it recognizes and balances the needs of all citizens in
their encounters with City services, programs and staff, in both English and
French pursuant to current policy.
2.
Ensure that cultural and recreational programs are
offered across a range of levels of activity such that every resident, and in
particular every child, has a change to participate.
There are no financial implications associated with this report.
This report will be made available to citizens electronically in PDF and HTML formats on our Website (Ottawa.ca), and in printed format upon request.
Rapport sur les services en français
REPORT ON FRENCH LANGUAGE SERVICES
ACS2010-CMR-OCM-0002 CITY
WIDE/À L'ÉCHELLE DE LA VILLE
Vice-Chair Desroches, sitting in for the Chair,
advised that a technical motion would be coming forward to correct a component
of the report.
Kent Kirkpatrick, City Manager, was present to answer
questions on the report.
Noting that a revised Table 1 - Designated and Budgeted
Positions had been circulated to all members, Councillor McRae asked
staff to explain the reason for the revision.
Mr. Kirkpatrick responded that the changes in the revised table simply
present a more accurate representation, as the report actually excludes Library
positions but the original table included those positions. Furthermore, there were some non-budgeted
positions that were originally in the December 2009 row and those have been
removed.
The Councillor referred to page 183 of the report and asked
Mr. Kirkpatrick to comment on some of the promotional items and a follow-up
after the issue that took place with regards to the printing of the calendars,
in particular. She noted that incident
created a lot of work for Councillors’ offices in terms of responding to
queries. She added that given the
importance of the department and the historical connotations, she was
disappointed that there was no mention of that incident in the report and what
steps he would be putting in place, as the City Manager, to ensure something
like that does not happen again. She
felt that incident was an embarrassment to the City and that it distracts
people from the real intention of the policy.
Mr. Kirkpatrick assured that staff took the incident
very seriously and agreed it was an unfortunate outcome that did not reflect
well on the City or on Council. He also
agreed that it distracts from a lot of very good work that is being done to
achieve the goals that Council has set with the French Language Services
Policy. He assured staff will take great
care to ensure such an incident does not happen again.
The Councillor commented that it is unusual for
Members of Council to become involved in a situation at this operational
level. She found it very disconcerting
that the City Manager’s Office had not been aware of these promotional
materials and she hoped he had put in place procedures to ensure he is informed
and that nothing similar happens in future.
She added that the incident caused an overly extended period of negativity
and frustration.
Moved by Councillor McRae:
That the Corporate Services and Economic Development
Committee receive the report with the revised table and forward same to
Council for its information.
CARRIED as amended