French-language Services Policy

Transcription

1 French-language Services Policy Annual Report for saskatchewan.ca

2 Table of Contents Message from the Provincial Secretary... 1 Introduction... 2 Francophone Affairs Branch Overview... 3 Progress in Table of Accomplishments ( ) French-language Services Policy... 9 List of Points of Service...12

3 Message from the Provincial Secretary It is my pleasure to present this report on the Government of Saskatchewan s French-language Services Policy highlighting the achievements of our ministries, Crown Corporations and agencies for the fiscal year ending March 31, As we head into a new five-year federal-provincial agreement for the delivery of French-language services, the Government of Saskatchewan is proud to report that new programs and services have been developed and delivered to the citizens of our province. Nadine Wilson, Provincial Secretary As Provincial Secretary, I thank all partners and stakeholders who have contributed to the achievements presented in this report. Nadine Wilson Provincial Secretary Annual Report for French-language Services Policy

4 Introduction This annual report presents the Government of Saskatchewan s results for the fiscal year ending March 31, It reports on the goals, key actions and performance measures outlined in the Canada-Saskatchewan Agreement on French-language Services. The annual report demonstrates the Government of Saskatchewan s commitment to effective public performance reporting, transparency and accountability to the people of Saskatchewan, specifically Francophone citizens. Alignment with Government s Direction French-language services activities undertaken in align with Government s vision and goals outlined in the Saskatchewan Plan for Growth Vision 2020 and Beyond: Saskatchewan s Vision to be the best place in Canada to live, to work, to start a business, to get an education, to raise a family and to build a life. Sustaining growth and opportunities for Meeting the challenges of growth Securing a better quality of life for all Delivering responsive and responsible government 2 French-language Services Policy Annual Report for

5 Francophone Affairs Branch Overview The Francophone Affairs Branch assists provincial government ministries, Crown Corporations and agencies in providing additional services in French to the Francophone community. Its main responsibilities include: acting as liaison between the Government and the Francophone community; managing the French-language Services Centre, a single window to access government services available in French; providing translation services to provincial ministries, Crown Corporations and agencies; and supporting the Provincial Secretary. In addition to meeting its constitutional and statutory obligations, and in order to support the Francophone community s development and vitality, the Government of Saskatchewan pursues targeted initiatives to respond to needs identified by the Francophone community. Government of Saskatchewan s French-language Services Centre The French-language Services Centre serves as a single window for the public to access Government of Saskatchewan services and programs in French. Information can be accessed online, by phone and through social media. In , the French-language Services Centre developed additional French-language pages on saskatchewan.ca/bonjour. The majority of these new pages contained information on programs and services to promote public safety and emergency preparedness delivered by the Ministry of Government Relations. The French-language pages saw a 25 per cent increase in the number of online sessions and page views in comparison with The French-language Services Centre team continues to develop new content and web pages to increase access to information in other areas of importance to the Francophone community and to respond to inquiries received by or by phone. Requests for information on immigration accounted for over half of the requests received in , followed by employment, advanced education and services provided by the Francophone Affairs Branch. The Services en français en Saskatchewan Facebook page saw an increase of 18 per cent in subscribers in There has also been an increase in interactions with the page. Various government services and programs available in French were promoted. The Services Centre team worked with ministries to translate infographic campaigns that were used on social media to promote health and safety messages as well as information regarding programs and services. The French-language Services Centre can be accessed online through saskatchewan.ca/bonjour. Citizens can also contact the Services Centre toll-free at or by at bonjour@gov.sk.ca. Translation Services In , a total of 501,985 words were translated and revised. The difference from the previous year can be explained by normal fluctuations from year to year. The Government of Saskatchewan continues to give priority to translating documents and web pages that facilitate more active and direct communication with French-speaking citizens. Among the larger documents translated for the general public are: Hunters and Trappers Guide It s Democracy: Canada 150 Legacy Board Game Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Guide Rights and Responsibility: a Guide to Employment Standards in Saskatchewan 800, , , , , , , ,000 Translation Volume ( ) Words Translated Annual Report for French-language Services Policy

6 Translation Requests by Client Ministry, Crown or Agency Word Count Justice 68,609 Education 67,496 Health 57,261 Advance Education 57,237 Executive Council (Francophone Affairs Branch) 38,336 Environment 34,991 Saskatchewan Tourism Education Council (STEC) 34,329 Office of the Provincial Capital Commission 27,788 Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) 23,754 Saskatchewan Archives 20,560 Government Relations 12,092 Other 59,532 Sask Archives 4% Government Relations 2% SCIC 5% Provincial Capital Commission 6% STEC 7% Environment 7% Clients ( ) Other 12% Justice 14% Francophone Affairs 8% Advanced Education 11% Education 13% Health 11% 4 French-language Services Policy Annual Report for

7 Progress in Government Goal: Saskatchewan s Vision to be the best place in Canada to live, to work, to start a business, to get an education, to raise a family and to build a life. Sustaining growth and opportunities for Meeting the challenges of growth Securing a better quality of life for all Delivering responsive and responsible government Our Goal: Work with Fransaskois organizations in order to provide and improve the delivery of services in French FPT Action Plan for Increasing Francophone Immigration Outside of Quebec In 2016, federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for immigration confirmed that increasing the promotion of Francophone immigration outside of Quebec was one of their shared priorities. On March 2, 2018, Saskatchewan agreed to a plan developed to encourage increased efforts to attract, select, integrate and retain French-speaking immigrants to Francophone minority communities. This plan builds on actions taken to date and identifies new ways of collaborating to develop and implement new solutions. Representatives from the Ministry of Immigration and Careers Training and the Francophone Affairs Branch will work in collaboration with strategic stakeholders in Saskatchewan s Francophone community to determine which actions to undertake to increase Francophone immigration in our province and help maintain the vitality of the Fransaskois community. Agreement for cooperation and exchanges in matters of the Canadian Francophonie In November 2017, the Governments of Saskatchewan and Québec entered into an agreement to support the Francophone community in Saskatchewan and strengthen ties with Quebec through sharing best practices and expertise in improving programs and services. The agreement will facilitate Francophone co-operation projects between community organizations in the two provinces. Each government has committed up to $110,000 in funding by 2022 to support these efforts, depending on the number and quality of projects received from community organizations. Annual Report for French-language Services Policy

8 Government Goal: Sustaining growth and opportunities for Meeting the challenges of growth Securing a better quality of life for all Delivering responsive and responsible government Our Goal: Better use of existing French-language capacity within government French-language classes Since the fall of 2016, the Government of Saskatchewan has partnered with Collège Mathieu to offer French-language classes to public servants. The Collège Mathieu offers three levels of beginner classes and two levels of intermediate classes. These ten week courses are offered three times a year, once a week for two hours. The goal is to help government employees acquire the essentials of communication and master the key elements of French for work situations which would allow them to confidently offer French-language services in their respective fields. List of points of service Following the voluntary language survey that was sent out to all public service employees in November 2017, the data was sent to the Francophone Affairs Branch for analysis. The FAB uses the information to update a list of points of service where French-language services are available. Currently there are 81 points of service within government where French-language services are offered or available upon request. This list is available at: Government Goal: Sustaining growth and opportunities for Meeting the challenges of growth Securing a better quality of life for all Delivering responsive and responsible government Our Goal: Sustain healthy French-speaking communities and citizens Public Safety: A Priority In , the Francophone Affairs Branch worked with the Ministry of Government Relations to translate web pages on saskatchewan.ca. Public Safety is a priority for the Government and the Francophone community, and several web pages were identified for translation. The content of these web pages include information on disaster prevention and preparedness for farmers and landowners, homeowners and municipalities. The information can be found at the following link: The Francophone Affairs Branch also worked with the Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety to translate the information contained in the Understanding Occupational Health and Safety in Saskatchewan guide. This guide gives an overview of Saskatchewan s occupational health and safety legislation under The Saskatchewan Employment Act for employers and employees. The guide can be found at the following link: 6 French-language Services Policy Annual Report for

9 Celebrating the province s Francophonie It s Democracy! The Canada 150 legacy project was undertaken by the Provincial Capital Commission, with financial support from the Government of Canada through the Lieutenant Governor s Office. It included exhibit panels and a board game titled It s Democracy! Produced in both official languages, the game was supplied to approximately 700 public, separate and Band operated schools around the province. This question and answer game challenges our knowledge of Saskatchewan s history and our democratic system of government. It was developed and designed in consultation with the Ministry of Education, a focus group of educators and other partners, with the Grade 8 social studies curriculum in mind. Fransaskois Flag Recognition Program In 2009, the Government of Saskatchewan initiated an annual program to recognize Francophone communities for their perseverance and pride in preserving their cultural heritage and their contributions to the province. Up to two communities were awarded annually with an engraved commemorative plaque that is mounted on a monument and included a flag pole and a Fransaskois flag. These communities were nominated by the Assemblée communautaire fransaskoise. In 2018, in an effort to simplify the nomination process, the Government decided to restructure the program and allow individual communities to submit nominations themselves. The guide and nomination form can be found here: Government Goal: Sustaining growth and opportunities for Meeting the challenges of growth Securing a better quality of life for all Delivering responsive and responsible government Our Goal: Greater Francophone participation in decisions relating to government programs and policies affecting the Francophone community Online and in-person surveys An online and in-person survey was conducted in November The Francophone Affairs Branch reached out, through its Facebook page and with the help of its Francophone stakeholder groups, to Francophones in the province to measure the level of satisfaction when using French-language services delivered by the Government of Saskatchewan. Questions were asked regarding the French-language Services Centre, the saskatchewan.ca/bonjour webpages and the Services en français en Saskatchewan Facebook page. Following an analysis of the responses: Over 80 per cent of respondents were aware of the online and by phone information services. Of those respondents that used the services, over 75 per cent often found what they were looking for. Only 52 per cent were aware of the Facebook Page. When asked what the top five priority areas for the development of new services should be, the response was as follows: 1. Health 2. Immigration 3. Employment 4. Advanced Education 5. Education (K-12 and Early Learning) Annual Report for French-language Services Policy

10 Advisory Committee on Francophone Affairs In , the Advisory Committee on Francophone Affairs met on three occasions and presented two reports to the Provincial Secretary. The first report released in July 2017 explored the challenges faced in French-language Early Learning and Child Care Services. In order to better understand early learning and child care in French, the Advisory Committee met with community organizations and senior representatives from the Ministry of Education. They discussed the importance of early intervention in the transmission of language and culture and the challenges that are faced by child care centres and early learning programs. Eight recommendations were submitted to the Provincial Secretary. A second report was released in March 2018 following an open discussion with representatives of ministries, Crown Corporations and agencies to identify successes and opportunities in the delivery of French-language service. The Advisory Committee is asking the Francophone Affairs 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 to 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. Both reports can be viewed on saskatchewan.ca/bonjour at: executive-council-and-office-of-the-premier/francophone-affairs-branch#advisory-committee-on-francophone-affairs Our Goal: Increasing awareness of Francophone community needs within Saskatchewan public administration Annual meetings with ministries Every year, the Francophone Affairs Branch consults with ministries as well as some Crown Corporations to review services being delivered, assess whether new services could be developed, and increase awareness of the French-language Services Policy. In , the Francophone Affairs Branch reviewed the outcomes of the June 2, 2017 meeting with the Advisory Committee. There were also discussions regarding the increase of social media campaigns to promote the programs and services that exist in French. 8 French-language Services Policy Annual Report for

11 Table of Accomplishments ( ) French-language Services Policy Goal 1: Strategically use existing resources to ensure that French-language content is easy to access and ensure translation efforts target key sectors of the Fransaskois community and key client groups within the community. Key Actions French-language content on the new Government of Saskatchewan website (saskatchewan.ca) Translation of news releases dealing with the Government of Saskatchewan s French-language services Translation of material on programs and services (documents, guides, forms) Translation of public health documents (public health campaigns, factsheets, general information on public health) Accomplishments As of April 1, 2018, there were 234 French-language pages on the saskatchewan.ca website. In , the Ministry of Government Relation web pages pertaining to the following topics were translated, among others: ª ª Public Health and Safety ª ª Disaster Prevention and Preparedness ª ª Emergency Management 42 news releases were translated in News releases covered topics such as health card renewal, public safety messages, honours and awards and education related activities. Examples of guides translated in : ª ª Canada-Saskatchewan Integrated Student Loan Handbook ª ª Anglers Guide, Hunters and Trappers Guide ª ª Saskatchewan Driver s Handbook Examples of forms and guidelines translated in : ª ª Child Care Home and Centre Checklist ª ª Office of Residential Tenancies forms and certificates ª ª Community Initiatives Fund Guidelines Other documents translated include: ª ª International Student Guide (Collège Mathieu) ª ª Budget speech and highlights ª ª Juror Assistance Program Pamphlet Various documents including forms and factsheets were updated and translated, such as : ª ª HPV, Pneumococcal 13, Seasonal Flu and Hepatitis B. ª ª A web page and factsheet on Cannabis. ª ª Teaching Nutrition in Saskatchewan for Grades 6 and 7. Annual Report for French-language Services Policy

12 Goal 2: Improve delivery of services in French by making better use of resources already in place and to use the internet and telephone to deliver services to Francophone citizens wherever they may live in Saskatchewan. Key Actions French-language services are available and a list of points of service is available on saskatchewan.ca/bonjour (these services can be delivered directly by government or by third parties) Implementation of procedures for responding to requests for services in French at service centres where French-language services are available Translation of Acts and Regulations to French Funding of spaces in Francophone childcare centres Immigration settlement services in French (delivered directly by government or by third parties) Accomplishments Most ministries and some Crown Corporations and agencies met with the Francophone Affairs Branch to review programs and services available in French and develop new services. Following a government-wide survey sent out in December 2017, it was determined there are 81 points of service where services can be offered in French. The List of Points of Service is published online at ª ª Certain offices had designated bilingual employees and provided French-language services as part of their mandate. For these offices, the list mentions that bilingual services are available. ª ª Other offices were not required to provide French-language services as part of their mandate but did have French-speaking employees. For these offices, the list mentions that French-language services are available upon request. The Ministry of Education provided funding to the Conseil des écoles fransaskoises for integrated services during to support Francophone students assessed with learning challenges. The Provincial Library and Literacy Office provided funding to the Collège Mathieu to ensure that Francophones in Saskatchewan had access to adult and family literacy programs and services offered in French. HealthLine telephone services offered interpretation services in over 100 languages including French. Sask911 Emergency Call Centre offered 24 hour year-round interpretation services, including in French. The Public Service Commission supported recruitment of staff with French-language skills (classifying positions, preparing career ads, conducting assessment processes) across executive government. Six positions were posted and filled where French-language capacity was required or considered an asset. Most ministries and agencies with French-language capacity included in the List of Points of Service have implemented procedures to respond to French-language requests. The Francophone Affairs Branch continues to support all organizations in their efforts to respond to French-language requests. Legislative Drafting had one bilingual lawyer who coordinated the translation of Acts, Regulations and Rules of the Court. Saskatchewan has 51 bilingual Acts and 36 bilingual Regulations in force. Funding was provided to nine Francophone childcare centres in Saskatoon, Regina, Ponteix, Moose Jaw, Gravelbourg, North Battleford, Vonda, Prince Albert and St. Isidore-de-Bellevue, for a total of 306 licensed spaces. The Assemblée communautaire fransaskoise (ACF) provided translation of job postings and offered a French-language career services website and job bank. Labour market services in both official languages were available in Moose Jaw, Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert. The Ministry of Economy (now Immigration and Career Training) continued a funding agreement with the ACF for the operation of five Action Emploi Saskatchewan offices across the province. Action Emploi offices provided: ª ª single-window access to career and employment services; ª ª settlement services for Francophone newcomers. ACF provided settlement services to 101 new clients and 504 existing clients for a total of 605 clients. Immigrants came to Saskatchewan from 32 different countries as skilled workers, international students, refugee claimants, temporary foreign workers, and permanent residents. 10 French-language Services Policy Annual Report for

13 French-language Services Centre: Single-window to access Government of Saskatchewan services available in French Information in French regarding government programs and services was available online 24 hours a day. Direct services were available by phone and 5 days a week, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Referral and path-finding services were provided to clients within 48 hours after a service request was received. Services were offered through an internet portal, a toll-free line and by . Publication of the bi-weekly electronic newsletter Bonjour! was sent out to associations, Francophone and Immersion schools, government employees and individuals throughout the province to promote new French-language content. Goal 3: Consult with Francophones in respect to provincial government programs that impact the community and to make the Saskatchewan public administration aware of Francophone community needs. Key Actions Consultation mechanisms that include representatives of the Francophone community Bi-annual meeting between the Advisory Committee on Francophone Affairs and senior government officials responsible for French-language services. Accomplishments Ministry of Education staff engaged in discussion with the Association des parents fransaskois (APF) regarding investments in minority-language inclusion (Francophone early learning and child care) under the Canada-Saskatchewan Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. The Ministry of Advanced Education continued to support the Deputy Minister s Working Group on French-language Post-Secondary Education to explore interinstitutional collaborative initiatives to enhance French-language educational opportunities for Saskatchewan citizens. The Ministry of Health resumed its participation as an observer in board meetings for the Réseau santé en français de la Saskatchewan (RSFS) and shared government s Call for Public Representatives on Health Councils with RSFS for distribution to the Francophone community. The CEO of the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) met with the Executive Director of RSFS to discuss collaboration with RSFS including how the community can advise the SHA. An official from the Francophone Affairs Branch (FAB) participated as an observer in board meetings for the RSFS. Officials from the FAB participated in the Provincial Francophone Network on Immigration. The Provincial Secretary attended the Rendez-vous Fransaskois Following a meeting held on June 2, 2017, a report was released where the Advisory Committee requested the Francophone Affairs Branch (FAB) work with ministries, Crown Corporations and agencies to follow-up on the implementation of past recommendations such as: ª ª Designating a champion in all ministries to work with the FAB to develop and promote French-language programs and services within their ministry. ª ª Making the development and promotion of French-language services a part of ministries annual planning process. ª ª Incorporating an active-offer approach in the delivery of French-language services. ª ª Formalizing the process followed by ministry officials when they receive a request for services in French. ª ª Building relationships with Francophone stakeholders in ministries where there are common clientele, programs or services being offered. Annual Report for French-language Services Policy

14 List of Points of Service Advanced Education Technical and Trades Branch French language services available upon request Student Services and Program Development Branch French language services available upon request Student Service Centre Bilingual services provided National Student Loan Service Centre Bilingual services provided Agriculture Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation French language services available upon request AgriStability French language services available upon request Weyburn Customer Service Office French language services available upon request North Battleford Customer Service Office French language services available upon request Rosetown Customer Service Office French language services available upon request Turtleford Customer Service Office French language services available upon request Prince Albert Customer Service Office French language services available upon request Regional Services Prince Albert French language services available upon request Regina French language services available upon request Economy Labour Market Services Bilingual services provided Regina Bilingual services provided Saskatoon Bilingual services provided Prince Albert Bilingual services provided Moose Jaw Bilingual services provided Immigration Services Regina French language services available upon request Apprenticeship and Workforce Skills Regina French language services available upon request International Engagement French language services available upon request Education Student Achievement and Supports French language services available upon request Curriculum Unit French language services available upon request Assessment Unit French language services available upon request Early Learning and Child Care Service Delivery French language services available upon request Policy and Intergovernmental Relations French language services available upon request 12 French-language Services Policy Annual Report for

15 Environment Wildfire Management Branch French language services available upon request Landscape and Habitat Assessment French language services available upon request Climate Change Branch French language services available upon request Forest Service Branch French language services available upon request Environmental Protection Branch French language services available upon request Compliance and Field Services Branch Candle Lake French language services available upon request North Battleford French language services available upon request Melville French language services available upon request Preeceville French language services available upon request Nipawin French language services available upon request Yorkton French language services available upon request Wadena French language services available upon request Executive Council Francophone Affairs Branch Bilingual services provided Protocol Office French language services available upon request Finance Provincial Comptroller s Office French language services available upon request Government Relations Provincial Disaster Assistance Program Office French language services available upon request Office of the Provincial Interlocutor French language services available upon request Lands and Consultation French language services available upon request Policy and Program Services French language services available upon request Health Saskatchewan Disease Control Laboratory French language services available upon request Non-Fee For Service French language services available upon request Partnership and Workforce Planning French language services available upon request Tobacco Litigation French language services available upon request Healthline 811 Interpretation services available in French Justice Corrections and Policing Custody, Supervision and Rehabilitation Services French language services available upon request Civil Law Division Family Law Registry - Saskatoon - Court Services French language services available upon request Public Law Division Legislative Services for Authentication Services French language services available upon request Courts and Tribunals Division Enforcement of Money Judgment Unit French language services available upon request Public Prosecutions Regina Prosecution District, Traffic Safety French language services available upon request Prince Albert Prosecution District French language services available upon request Regina Prosecution District French language services available upon request Battlefords Prosecution District French language services available upon request Meadow Lake Prosecution District French language services available upon request Saskatoon Prosecution District French language services available upon request Annual Report for French-language Services Policy

16 Courts Regina Provincial Court Office French language services available upon request Saskatoon Provincial Court Office French language services available upon request Court of Appeal French language services available upon request Office of Residential Tenancies French language services available upon request Labour Relations and Workplace Safety Employment Standards French language services available upon request Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly Visitor Services French language services available upon request Ombudsman Saskatchewan French language services available upon request Parks, Culture and Sport Government House French language services available upon request Communications Branch French language services available upon request Strategic and Corporate Services French language services available upon request Greenwater Lake Provincial Park French language services available upon request Social Services Child and Family Services (Child and Family Service Delivery) Child and Family Services - Estevan French language services available upon request Child and Family Services - Prince Albert French language services available upon request Regina Service Centre - Child Welfare French language services available upon request Housing Services - Saskatoon French language services available upon request Housing Authority - Melville French language services available upon request Income Assistance - Saskatoon French language services available upon request Service Centre Area - Saskatoon French language services available upon request Social Services Client Service Centre - Income Support French language services available upon request Tourism Saskatchewan Travel Counsellors Bilingual services provided SaskTel French language services available upon request 14 French-language Services Policy Annual Report for