OFFICIAL LANGUAGES CHAMPIONS: A STRUCTURED AND INFLUENTIAL NETWORK
In collaboration with Diane Lalonde, Council of the Network of Departmental Official Languages Champions.
In existence since 2003, the Council of the Network of Departmental Official Languages Champions is equipped with a formal structure and a permanent secretariat. It is made up of 14 champions, three regional representatives (from the Manitoba, New Brunswick and Quebec Federal Councils) and four representatives from the central agencies (Canadian Heritage, Privy Council Office, Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada and Justice Canada). Funding for its secretariat is on a voluntary basis, proportionally to the staff of the 75 participating departments and organizations.
A prominent position
The departmental champions are part of the senior management of federal agencies and departments. Individually, they are called upon to show leadership, so that the official languages can be at the centre of decisions made by their institution's senior management. Collectively, they further the issues relating to official languages within the public service. They provide opinions and advice, support the national and regional networks of those responsible for official languages, and foster communication and exchanges dealing with best practices.
Mandate of the Council of the Network of Champions
To be a leader and an agent of influence for promoting linguistic duality within an exemplary public service, the development of official-language minority communities in Canada and respect for the accountability and coordination framework.
For example, when creating the Service Canada initiative, the Council discussed with the senior public servants in charge about the unique opportunity being presented, to establish as of day-one a culture and principles that take the official languages into account. In response, the Treasury Board submission on the "Implementation of the Service Canada Initiative" established the requirement to develop an official languages action plan.
The Council also advised the Assistant Deputy Ministers Advisory Group about the review of language training and testing. The Group was thereby able to grasp the day-to-day reality and challenges of these questions.
Horizontal assemblies
The Council initiated meetings assembling the entire federal public service around the topic of official languages. It and three central agencies (Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada, Statistics Canada and Canadian Heritage) organized the Forum on Official Languages Good Practices, held in November 2005, an initiative that was commended and then repeated in December 2006. It was the first time that the champions and co-champions from the departments, agencies and Crown corporations, as well as those responsible for official languages, and the national coordinators in charge of implementing section 41 were gathered in the same room.
Acting and raising awareness at a high level
The Council of the Network is in an ideal position to contribute to influencing culture within the public service. By acting at a high level, it complements the work done at other levels. By doing so, it supports the progress of the official languages within the federal machinery, as much as it supports Canada's linguistic duality and the development of official-language minority communities.
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