March Implementation of the Government of Saskatchewan French-language Services Policy

Transcription

1 March 2018 Implementation of the Government of Saskatchewan French-language Services Policy

2 Letter of Transmittal The Honourable Nadine Wilson: Following the meeting of June 2, 2017, it is my pleasure to submit this report for your consideration. The Advisory Committee met with senior officials from provincial ministries, Crown Corporations and agencies to identify successes and opportunities in the delivery of French-language service. In an open discussion, senior public officials shared best practices and advancements they have made in an effort to increase and improve French- Language Services. Saskatchewan s French-language Services Policy guides the development of government programs and information available in French. It plays an important role in supporting the development and vitality of the Fransaskois community. Sincerely, Michel Dubé Chair, March 2018

3 Summary Members of the Advisory Committee as well as senior public officials discussed progress that has been made in the delivery of French language services by the government of Saskatchewan, its Crown corporations and agencies. They also explored new areas where French-language programs and services could be developed or improved. Following these discussions, the Advisory Committee is asking the Francophone Affairs (FAB) Branch to work with ministries, Crown Corporations and agencies to follow-up on the implementation of past recommendations such as: Designating a champion in all ministries who would work with the Francophone Affairs Branch to develop and promote French-language programs and services within their ministry. Making the development and promotion of French-language services a part of ministries annual planning process. Incorporating an active offer approach in the delivery of French-language services. Formalizing the process followed by Ministry officials when they receive a request for services in French. Building relationships with Francophone stakeholders in ministries where there are common clientele, programs or services being offered. Advisory Committee Mandate In 2003, the Government of Saskatchewan adopted its French-language Services Policy. With this Policy, the Government of Saskatchewan committed to enhancing services offered to the francophone community of Saskatchewan in support of the development and vitality of this community. 1 The Policy is organized according to three areas: 1. Communication; 2. Development and delivery of services; and, 3. Consultation. The mandate of the is to advise the Provincial Secretary through the review and analysis of programs and policies to guide the implementation of Saskatchewan s French-language Services Policy. 1 Government of Saskatchewan French-Language Services Policy -3-

4 Context On June 2, 2017, the met with senior officials from 22 ministries, Crown corporations and agencies to discuss Frenchlanguage services offered by the Government of Saskatchewan. It was an opportunity to share best practices applied by each participant but also to identify areas where Frenchlanguage services can be developed or improved with the understanding that these initiatives must align with individual priorities and mandate. Today s Francophone Communities Saskatchewan is home to a vibrant francophone community with approximately 18,000 citizens who declare French as a first language. According to the 2016 Census, the province now has 51,895 French-language speakers, a 9.3% increase between 2011 and There has also been a 6.3% growth in citizens reporting regular use of French at home during this period, exceeding the growth of the Saskatchewan population (4.8%) for the same period. Best practices in the delivery of French-language services Senior officials shared with the Advisory Committee examples of good practices in the implementation of the Government of Saskatchewan s French-language Services policy: The Francophone Affairs Branch provides translation services for all of government. Guidelines have been developed to prioritize the translation of documents and web pages that facilitate more active and direct communication with French-speaking citizens. For instance, ehealth has made available French application forms to order birth, marriage and death certificates as well as a Saskatchewan health card. When considering and developing programs and services to be offered in French, ministries, Crowns and agencies are encouraged to consult with the Francophone community. A good example of this, the Ministry of Advanced Education has included Francophone organizations in the development of Vision 2030:A Road Map for Saskatchewan s Post-Secondary Education in French. This is a provincial initiative to implement an inter-institutional collaboration model to provide Postsecondary French-language education programs and services to Francophone students and to other students wishing to study in French in Saskatchewan. Overall, improvements have been made to increase online content in French and to promote programs and services available in French. A list of points of service throughout government where citizens can get access to services in the official language of their choice is available online and continually updated. -4-

5 Organizational Awareness Ministries, Crowns, and agencies continue to show a willingness to work collaboratively on the application of the French-language Services Policy. At its January 2015 meeting, the Advisory Committee recommended that each Ministry, Crown and Agency designates a champion to increase awareness of the policy and its goals. Some ministries were represented at this meeting by current champions with whom the Francophone Affairs Branch has been working with over the past few years. Other ministries have yet to designate a champion. A champion can be an existing public servant of a specific Ministry, Crown or Agency who would act as a liaison with the Francophone Affairs Branch as well as with Francophone stakeholders. They do not have to speak French to be a champion. Another recommendation made by the Advisory Committee in several reports is to make the development and delivery of French-language services a part of the annual planning process. Ministries meet with the Francophone Affairs Branch annually to discuss plans for the upcoming year as well as challenges they may be facing and how the FAB can support them with their efforts. The ministry of Education and Justice currently monitor French-language services in a formal way, as they have legal obligations to do so. Service Delivery There were discussions around the idea that in order to justify offering French-language services there initially needs to be a demand. The counter argument is that if citizens are unaware that services exist they will not ask for them. According to a 2010 study from the Canadian Institute for Research on Linguistic Minorities 2, having an active offer in the delivery of services greatly increases demand for French-language services, and, when the Government of Saskatchewan s French- Language Services policy was adopted in 2003, it included an active offer approach described as follows: Active Offer means that the service is publicized to potential users, that the general public is encouraged to use the service and is comfortable doing so, and that the service quality is comparable to that of the service provided in English 2 Kenneth Deveau, Rodrigue Landry et Réal Allard. The Utilization of French- Language Government Services. Canadian Institute for Research on Linguistic Minorities,

6 Without a proper active offer, the initial and ensuing interactions between both parties will likely be in English without the client knowing that they have the choice to be served in French. In order to better understand the existing language capacity government has, the Advisory Committee made a recommendation that government survey its employees to determine capacity in a language other than English. The Francophone Affairs Branch has worked with the Public Service Commission (PSC) on a biennial survey since In 2016, a third survey was conducted, results from the survey showed that Frenchlanguage services can be offered in 72 points of service. The current list of points of service can be found at Some ministries have implemented an active offer approach by using signage to inform citizens that French-language services are available. There are also points of services where bilingual services are guaranteed and positions are designated bilingual; Student Services Centre at Advanced Education, Government of Saskatchewan s French-language Services Centre at Intergovernmental Affairs, Visitor Services at the Legislative Assembly, Court Services Branch at Justice, etc. Signage will indicate the availability of French-language services and employees greet the public in both languages. When a bilingual designation is not deemed necessary but knowledge of the French language would be an asset, the Advisory Committee encourages hiring managers to list this competency in the job description. Similarly, a type of visible active offer online has been developed, since documents and forms constitute a large part of Government of Saskatchewan services available in French. The Francophone Affairs Branch has been working to translate and publish mirror pages on the government website ( and to incorporate a toggle button on these webpages, giving the client the option to navigate between French and English content with ease. However, the Advisory Committee feels that more could be done on the homepage to indicate and promote the availability of French-language content and services in general. Promotion The Advisory Committee strongly believes that ministries that have the capacity to offer services in French have the responsibility to promote them on a regular basis. For example, the Francophone Affairs Branch and ehealth have been working together on different social media campaigns such as the importance of mental health and the flu shot. The Francophone Affairs Branch also works with the Ministry of Advanced Education and the Ministry of Agriculture on the student loan and Crop Report social media campaigns respectively, to name a few. -6-

7 The role of promoting French-language services is a collective effort and a shared responsibility. Ministries, Crown corporations and agencies must let their clients know when they can get access to French-language services. By doing so, the Government of Saskatchewan is fulfilling its goal of a citizen-centred approach by providing better services to citizens, including in the official language of their choice. Formalizing the process Ministries that provide direct services to the public either provide services in person, by telephone or online. Using the ministry of Environment s Client Inquiry Line as an example, which receives about 12,000 calls per year, the Advisory Committee feels it is important to develop a way to track the number of inquiries made in French as well as the general nature of these inquiries. This data could serve as a tool when determining programs and services to be translated for the general public. Furthermore, there are currently employees in the ministry of Environment that have indicated a capacity to respond to French-language requests. The sheer number of calls, along with the large number of employees dealing with the inquiries, would suggest that the development of a formal process when dealing with a French-language request would ensure consistency and aide those who don t speak French when redirecting the call. Other ministries, such as Social Services, already have a process in place and provide guidelines as well as other useful information to all Client Inquiry staff to improve the delivery of French-language services to citizens. Consultation The Francophone Affairs Branch conducted a provincial tour of Francophone communities from the October 2016 to March 2017, visiting provincial and regional francophone organizations as well as Francophone and immersion schools across the province. The goal was to promote programs and services being offered in French and to understand the challenges and needs that each community faces. This information is shared with ministries, crown corporations and agencies and is very useful to ensure that future efforts reflect the needs of the community. The Advisory Committee would like to encourage each ministry, crown corporation and agency to reach out to Francophone organizations that share a common mandate or clientele. Including Francophone community during consultations ensures cultural and language differences can be taken into account when making decisions. Going Forward The mandate of the is to advise the Provincial Secretary through the review and analysis of programs and policies. -7-

8 Since 2009 the Advisory Committee has held 14 meetings on 11 different areas of concern prioritized by the Francophone community. A total of 98 recommendations were submitted of which the degree of implementation varies greatly. The Advisory Committee feels that there is still meaningful work to be done to advance some of the more important recommendations. Some ministries, crowns or agencies have made great strides in the implementation of the French-Language Services Policy while others are still developing goals and defining key actions in their respective organizations. Conclusion In conclusion, the Advisory Committee was encouraged by the participation of each Ministry, Crown Corporations and Agency. There was good discussion around best practices and shared challenges. The Advisory Committee feels it is now their job, with the support of the Francophone Affairs Branch, to find ways to support them in the planning, development, promotion and delivery of French-language services that best respond to the needs of the community. -8-

9 ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON FRANCOPHONE AFFAIRS LIST OF MEMBERS Michel Dubé (Chair), Prince Albert Michel Dubé was born in Duck Lake. He has been involved with the Francophone community in Saskatchewan for a long time, notably in community development and education. He was a member of the board of the Assemblée communautaire fransaskoise between 1999 and 2010, first as the community representative from the Prince Albert district and then as president between 2006 and He is currently the president of the Société canadienne-française de Prince Albert. Mr. Dubé has been a journalist, consultant and entrepreneur. He has owned several businesses including a produce farm and a fishing lodge. He is now owner of a small store featuring local goods and operates a bison farm north of Prince Albert. Élizabeth Perreault, Bellevue Élizabeth Perreault and her husband own and operate a farm near Bellevue. Ms. Perreault has volunteered within many organizations in her community, including the local Francophone association and the Francophone school in her area. She has represented the St-Isidore school district (Bellevue) on the Conseil scolaire fransaskois since Joanne Perreault, Hoey Ms. Joanne Perreault has worked for more than 10 years with the Assemblée communautaire fransaskoise, several years of which as deputy director. Living in Hoey, Ms. Perreault is self-employed, providing consultation and coordination services, and continues to be involved with the Fransaskois community. Jean de Dieu Ndayahundwa, Regina Originally from Burundi, Jean de Dieu Ndayahundwa lived in Belgium where he earned a Masters degree in International Economics and Development at the University of Namur prior to moving to Saskatchewan in Since arriving in Saskatchewan, Mr. Ndayahundwa has greatly involved himself in the Francophone community of Regina, specifically as manager of the Association canadienne-française de Regina (ACFR) for over four years. Thanks to his volunteer commitment within the Francophone community of Regina, he received in 2016 a recognition certificate from the ACFR. He holds a Non-Profit Management Certificate and currently works for the Conseil économique et coopératif de la Saskatchewan (CÉCS) in Regina. -9-

10 Roger Gauthier, Saskatoon Living in Saskatchewan for the past 40 years, Mr. Gauthier has been actively involved in the Fransaskois community both as a professional and as a volunteer at the local, provincial and national levels in multiple sectors: communications, economics, community development, cultural and artistic development, education, and involvement with parent and early childhood issues. Over the past seven years, his commitment has focused more specifically on improving access to health services in French through his role in the Réseau Santé en français. Etienne Gravel, Saskatoon Originally from Quebec, Mr. Gravel has lived and worked for five years in the Fransaskois community. His rich and varied experience has enabled him, among other things, to familiarize himself with rural and urban realities of the Fransaskois community. After spending his first years with French-speaking residents of Gravelbourg as a cultural animator at the Conseil des écoles fransaskoises and as a volunteer with the Association communautaire fransaskoise de Gravelbourg (ACFG), he now works in Saskatoon with the Association jeunesse fransaskoise (AJF) as program manager. Janice Murphy, Regina Living in Saskatchewan for almost 20 years, Janice first worked at Collège Mathieu, offering, among other things, computer training for Francophone women in the province. She has volunteered with various Fransaskois associations, including the Fédération provinciale des Fransaskoises (FPF), the Association communautaire fransaskoise de Gravelbourg (ACFG), and the Association canadienne-française de Regina. She founded a family with her spouse from the Republic of Côte d'ivoire, enabling her to experience French education from daycare to Grade 12, and to better understand the challenges and successes of French-speaking newcomers. She currently works as a senior human resources partner with the Crown Corporation, Farm Credit Canada (FCC). Françoise Sigur-Cloutier, Regina Originally from France and established in Saskatchewan for more than twenty years, Ms. Sigur-Cloutier has worked within the Francophone community both at the provincial and national levels. Having completed postsecondary studies in philosophy and education, she has also studied in the area of administration. Ms. Sigur-Cloutier worked as director of communications for Radio-Canada and is presently employed as a consultant. Ms. Sigur-Cloutier is president of the Assemblée communautaire fransaskoise. -10-