IMPLEMENTATION OF SECTION 41 OF THE
OFFICIAL LANGUAGES ACT

Action Plan 2001-2002

• Preamble
• Summary
• General Information
• Contacts
• Citizenship and Immigration Canada
  Official Languages Action Plan 2001-2002
• Have Your Say
• Appendix: Acronyms used in this report

Preamble

Section 41 of the Official Languages Act (OLA) affirms the responsibility of federal departments, agencies and Crown corporations to give effect to the Government of Canada's statutory commitment to:

1. enhancing the vitality of the French and English linguistic minority communities and supporting and assisting their development; and
2. fostering the full recognition and use of both English and French in Canadian society.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is committed to the implementation of Section 41 of the OLA. We have prepared an action plan which describes how CIC will contribute to the development of the Official-Language Minority Communities (OLMC) and addresses the concerns community representatives have raised during consultations with our officials. This plan also engages CIC employees throughout Canada and abroad in the recognition and promotion of Canada's linguistic duality.

Summary

In fulfilling its commitments under Section 41 of the OLA, Citizenship and Immigration Canada will focus on the following areas of action: facilitating the settlement and integration of newcomers; encouraging members of OLMC to engage in CIC led activities; adopting measures to raise awareness of OLMC and official languages issues among individuals who come into contact with the Department; engaging in dialogue with OLMC; and fostering recognition of Canada's linguistic duality.

In this planning period, CIC's efforts to enhance the vitality of OLMC, to support and assist their development and to foster the recognition of French and English in Canadian society will include the following highlights:

• During 2001-2002, building relationships with OLMC will be of priority. The Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) -- Corporate Services or his alternate will represent the department at major events. Other departmental representatives will liaise with national and regional Official Language Minority organizations. Both our clients and representatives of OLMC will be encouraged to participate in CIC activities such as Citizenship ceremonies and public consultation exercises as part of departmental efforts to promote Canada's linguistic duality and to support and assist the development of OLMC;
  
  
• Working with our partners, policies and programs will continue to be developed in a manner that considers the interests of OLMC. Committees will be established, whose membership will include OLMC representatives, to address concerns in a manner that contributes to community enhancement and the preservation of OLMC. To ensure closer integration of Section 41 considerations within CIC's institutional culture, the ADM -- Corporate Services will continue to promote awareness among senior management and will provide broad direction on the implementation of the OLA;
  
  
• CIC will adopt measures to ensure the provision of quality settlement services in support of the social, economic and cultural integration of newcomers in Canadian society in a manner considerate of the needs and concerns of OLMC; and
  
  
• In our offices in Canada and abroad, CIC clients will have access to services and materials relating to Official Languages (OL) issues and OLMC. In the same vein, CIC will continue to encourage OLMC to provide CIC offices with material to help raise awareness and contribute to the preservation of Canada's bilingual character.

General Information

The Department of Citizenship and Immigration Canada

The objective of the Citizenship and Immigration program is to ensure that the movement of people into Canada and membership in Canadian society contribute to Canada's social and economic well being and the protection of the health and safety of Canadians. Citizenship and immigration policies and programs are to be managed in a fashion consistent with Canada's domestic needs and capacities while fulfilling our international commitments and responsibilities towards persons in need of protection.

 
Identification of Community Needs

Means used to identify needs of Official-Language Minority Communities at national and regional levels:

Direct consultation of representative groups by CIC and through consultation processes initiated by Canadian Heritage. CIC also holds formal and informal meetings with local, regional and national OLMC representatives. Further consultation mechanisms are being explored.

Contacts

For general information on the Citizenship and Immigration program, we can be reached at:

Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Jean Edmonds Tower South, 18th Floor
365 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 1L1

Internet: http://www.cic.gc.ca

Officers Responsible for Section 41 of the Official Languages Act:

CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION CANADA
Official Languages Action Plan
2001-2002

 
MISSION: To build a stronger Canada by: deriving maximum benefit from the global movement of people, protecting refugees at home and abroad, defining Membership in Canadian society, and managing access to Canada.
  

First Objective

Principle Measures

Expected Outputs

- Publish research and information on the linguistic integration of immigrants in order to address barriers to integration and inform prospects for public policy.

- The availability of departmental research reports pertaining to integration issues in both official languages.
- The availability of publications in the virtual library of Metropolis [1] and CIC's internet site [2].

- Improve the delivery of services to clients.

- Identify options, propose recommendations and implement appropriate changes to the methods by which services are delivered to clients in Canada and abroad.

- Discussion of CIC's OL commitments at key meetings at National Headquarters and in the regions.

- Further development of priorities and plans for addressing OLMC interests.

Integration Branch

- Update the Official Languages sections in the Settlement Manual and the national and regional training manuals.

- Demonstrated familiarity with OL obligations by CIC Officers at all levels.

- Reinforce OL clauses in the National Contribution Agreement.

- Monitor compliance with OL reporting requirements as set out in the National Contribution Agreement.

- Assess the capacity of Service Provider Organizations to deliver services in both official languages.

- Develop and implement an Action Plan in response to the results of the assessment.

- Promote regional consultations with OLMC, with the aim of supporting these communities to better integrate newcomers.

- Increased OLMC involvement in the delivery of Host and/or Immigration Settlement and Adaptation Program services.

Ontario Region

- Follow up to the consultations with OLMC in Ontario focussing on Settlement issues.

- Contribution Agreements with community organizations whose proposals have been accepted for funding.

Second Objective

Principle Measures

Expected Outputs

- All Citizenship ceremonies will reflect Canada's linguistic duality and OLMC will be invited to participate either as hosts, guest speakers, or by assisting in the organization of special receptions.

- Foster recognition of Canada's bilingual character.

- Explore opportunities to encourage OLMC to participate in Citizenship Week activities.

- Evidence of community participation where it is feasible for them to be involved.

- Ensure CIC staff promote the availability of various ceremonies in both official languages.

- Raising awareness of efforts to reduce linguistic barriers to OLMC participation in CIC activities.

- Support for a national consultative body/working group of OLMC representatives.

- Working relationships enhanced.

Settlement -- Regional Offices

- Support for OLMC projects through participation at the Interdepartmental Partnership with Official Languages Communities.

- One OLMC Project that does not duplicate existing services, meets community needs, and Settlement objectives and criteria.

- Ensure that members of OLMC are invited to actively participate in Metropolis conferences and workshops.

- Interactions free of linguistic barriers.
- Establishment of networks beyond linguistic barriers.

Third Objective

Principle Measures

Expected Outputs

- Promote the equal status of the French and English languages in Canada.

- Inform new Canadians on the bilingual nature of Canada and of the equal status of both languages.

- All CIC offices will display informational brochures/packages promoting OLMC. This information will be developed and provided by the francophone organizations.

- Provide OLMC with opportunities to promote and distribute on a worldwide basis, information on local communities.
- Raise awareness regarding the presence of OLMC.

- Promote the use of English and French by providing simultaneous interpretation services at conferences and by ensuring that the national publications and web pages of CIC and some of our national partners are bilingual.

- Promote awareness among CIC's partners.

- Ensure that telephone listings are published in the Telus Blue Pages and in Annaire (a French language telephone directory).

- Provide the community with information on the availability of Francophone resources and services.

- Promote Canada's bilingual character and OLMC through the delivery of the Canadian Orientation Abroad program.

- Awareness on behalf of participants of the Canadian Orientation Abroad Program of Canada's bilingual character and the presence of OLMC throughout Canada.

International Region

- Distribute information about OLMC obtained through the Department's Official Languages Network.

- Acquire and ensure the availability of OLMC information at our Missions abroad.
- Sensitize CIC employees and clients with respect to OLMC in Canada.

- OLMC information will be included in the annual Program Manager Course.

- Sensitize CIC managers abroad with respect to OLMC in Canada.

- Include in the delivery of the Acts and Regulations Course as well as the Acts and Regulations Refresher course OLA Part VII modules.

- Sensitize CIC visa officers abroad to departmental commitments and responsibilities with respect to the Official Languages Act Part VII.

Millenium Team

- Create a virtual web site for the purposes of civic education that includes the integration of a simultaneous translation module to assist in chat room communications between francophone and Anglophone youth.

- Facilitate civic education communication between francophone and anglophone youth.

- Maintain cooperative relations and the communication of departmental information to organizations representing Quebec's linguistic minority.

- Raise OLMC awareness of the Department's citizenship and immigration program.
- Participation in joint advisory panels whose members include organizations representing Quebec's Anglophone minority.

Fourth Objective

Principle Measures

Expected Outputs

- Participation by representatives of OLMC organizations in public consultations undertaken by CIC on policy and or legislative changes.

- Obtain and address the views and concerns of OLMC on changes to departmental legislation, policies or programs.

British Columbia and Yukon Region

- Contact Francophone associations to establish a dialogue on CIC services.

- Enhance OLMC access to CIC services and support.

- Ensure that "A Scattering of Seeds", a documentary series highlighting the experiences of various immigrant groups on OLMC, features more stories of francophone immigrants.

- Enhance the understanding of immigrant experiences in OLMC.
- All video products delivered in both official languages.
- The fourth season starts in April and features the story of French migrants to Saskatchewan. Some episodes are produced in French.

Metropolis

- Where appropriate, to indicate to CIC and Metropolis partners the existence of scientific research on related topics.

- Availability of information for the purposes of research and analysis.
- Communicate information to CIC's research and policy analysts.

Prairies and Northern Territories

- Invite representation from the Association Multiculturelle Francophone de l'Alberta (an organization that represents the majority of francophone immigrants in Edmonton) to participate on the CIC Community Advisory Committee.

- Raise CIC's and local community understanding of the needs of French speaking immigrants in the area.
- Provide a forum for discussion regarding the potential for attracting additional French speaking immigrants to the local area or any other issue that OLMC wish to address.

- Establish a CIC Community Advisory Committee in Calgary that will include representation from OLMC.

- As co-chair of the Community Advisory Committee established with the Province of Manitoba, CIC will continue discussions with members (which includes representation from OLMC) on the provision and delivery of settlement services.

- Provide a forum for discussion regarding settlement services.

- CIC will continue discussions with the Province of Manitoba, the Societé Francophone Manitobaine and francophone school divisions regarding integration difficulties for immigrant children into the francophone school system.

- Identify the integration barriers faced by immigrant children.

- Establish a CIC Community Advisory Committee in Regina and Saskatoon that will include representation from OLMC.

- Build relations with OLMC and establish venues for communication on issues of common concern.

- CIC will contact francophone organizations within the territory and if interested, initiate discussions regarding CIC policies and programs.

- (See above)

- Encourage dialogue between CIC and OLMC.

- (See above)

Selection Branch

- Propose selection criteria that give greater weight under the Independent Category to applicants possessing abilities in an official language.

- Entry of francophone immigrants to all parts of Canada.

Fifth Objective

Principle Measures

Expected Outputs

- Encourage staff to promote services in French throughout the Department and with external contacts.

- Fulfil CIC's commitments and responsibilities to the extent possible with regards to the recognition and use of our OL.

- Ensure all points of entry have brochures and pamphlets that promote services provided in French as well as contact information for French services.

- Interactions free of linguistic barriers.

- Participate on the Pacific Council of Senior Federal Officials -- Official Languages sub committee.

- Share best practices and resources to ensure that obligations under the OLA are met.

- Develop and provide all CIC publications, fact sheets, brochures, posters, new releases, and press kits in both official languages.

- All have access to CIC print and electronic material in the official language of their choice.

- Maintain websites in both official languages.

- Serve the media in both official languages.
- Access to electronic materials in both French and English.
- French Universal Resource Locators in use.
- Web users can move between English and French versions of the same document (compliance with the Treasury Board "common look and feel" guidelines)

- Consistent written communications through the development of a CIC Style Guide in each official language for use in all departmental documents.

- Availability of the Communications Branch Style Guide to users in the language of their choice.

- Formal electronic messages are sent to clients and staff in both official languages.

- Application of the recommendations of the Commissioner of Official Languages concerning electronic mail is applied.

Integration Branch

- Providing Citizenship judges with materials to assist in enhancing the public's understanding and appreciation of the values inherent in Canadian society, among which is the equal status of both OL.

- The delivery of citizenship ceremonies in both official languages that promote Canada's bilingual nature.

- Produce and distribute bilingual publications, including web pages.

- Increased access to Metropolis research information in both OL.

- Initiate further discussions with Conseil de la cooperation de la Saskatchewan and the College Mathieu in Gravelbourg regarding the admission of foreign French speaking students.

- Should the college be interested in increasing its foreign student enrollment, updated information packages will be obtained and forwarded to posts abroad.

- Prepare an information package about College St. Boniface by the Société Francophone Manitobaine.

- Information package will be sent to posts abroad if College St. Boniface expresses interest in increasing its foreign student enrollment.

Refugees Branch

- Destining and matching refugees through the use of tools such as community profiles.

- Facilitate and enhance the successful settlement of refugees in Canada.

- When selecting refugees, consideration is given to the ability of refugees to speak French in conjunction with other settlement factors such as the presence of other family members in Canada.

- Facilitate the settlement of francophone refugees in OLMC.

Have Your Say

CIC's Action Plan describes our efforts to support the vitality and growth of OLM communities and to foster the recognition and use of both English and French in Canadian society. This plan is also intended as a vehicle for communicating with these communities and with others interested in the implementation of Section 41 of the Official Languages Act.

Please take a few minutes to complete this questionnaire. We welcome your comments and will consider them when developing future Action Plans.

• How is immigration important to the vitality and development of OLM communities?
  

  
  
  

• What should CIC do to support the vitality and development of OLM communities?
  

  
  
  

• What should CIC do to foster the recognition and use of both English and French in Canadian society?
  

  
  
  

• This report describes a variety of proposed measures. Which proposed measures do you believe are most relevant or potentially effective? Why?
  

  
  
  

• What other measures should CIC take to ensure that the interests of OLM communities are integrated into our policies and programs?
  

  
  
  

• CIC's clients include prospective visitors, immigrants and citizens in Canada and abroad. What should CIC do to promote awareness among its clients of OLM communities and the opportunities they offer?
  

  
  
  

• Other suggestions or comments:

 
Please return your comments to:

Daniel Wilson
Manager
Strategic Planning
Strategic Policy, Planning and Research Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Jean Edmonds Tower South, 18th Floor
365 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 1L1

Telephone: (613) 941-9318
Fax: (613) 957-5946
E-mail: Daniel.Wilson@8752BSP.cina.cic.x400.gc.ca

Appendix:
Acronyms used in this report

ADM: ASSISTANT DEPUTY MINISTER

CIC: CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION CANADA

OL: OFFICIAL LANGUAGES

OLA: OFFICIAL LANGUAGES ACT

OLMC: OFFICIAL- LANGUAGE MINORITY COMMUNITIES

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1. The Metropolis Project is an international forum for research and policy on migration and cities. The virtual library is located at http://canada.metropolis.net/frameset_e.html.

2. CIC's French internet site is located at http://www.cic.gc.ca/francais/index.html. The English internet site is available at: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/index.html.