Community of Official Languages/Newsletter

Home References Tools Newsletter Reports Contact

FRANÇAIS


The OL Connection: December 2020


Save the date! 2021 Best Practices Forum in Official Languages

As the year 2019 marked the 50th anniversary of the Official Languages Act (the Act), we are pleased to provide you with a link to the 2018-2019 Annual Report on Official Languages, tabled in Parliament on October 9, 2020.

The report provides an account of the governance and implementation of the official languages programs in all federal institutions; it addresses Part IV (Communications with and Service to the Public), Part V (Language of Work) and Part VI (Participation of English-speaking and French-speaking Canadians) of the Act.

As Official Languages Champions and Persons Responsible for Official Languages, you play a key role in ensuring that official languages are at the very heart of how your institution serves and communicates with Canadians across the country and abroad. It is important for institutions subject to the Act to integrate official languages into how decisions are made and actions taken, especially in situations like the current pandemic.

We trust you will find the information in this report useful for managing the official languages program within your institutions. The launch of this report provides an opportunity to engage your deputy head and management group in reviewing your institution’s official languages performance.

Please do not hesitate to contact us at OLReview-BilanLO@tbs-sct.gc.ca, should you require additional information on the Annual Report.


Bilingual Meetings

Virtual meetings and teleconferences have been established as the new norm in both the private and public sectors this year. Everything from team meetings to large-scale events moved from auditoriums and meeting rooms to phone lines and cameras.

How can we continue to promote, support and encourage the use of both official languages under these circumstances?

Here is a list of easy-to-implement best practices to help support bilingualism during meetings and events.

How does your organization balance the use of both official languages during virtual meetings? Why not use the tips above during your next meeting or event? What were the results? Let us know in the discussion on GCcollab!

Looking for tips and infographics to support bilingual meetings?

Browse through resources on the Language Portal of Canada!



Bootcamp on Official Languages

In September 2020, the Official Languages Centre of Excellence launched the Bootcamp on Official Languages. This short but comprehensive course was developed to equip Persons Responsible for Official Languages with the knowledge necessary to effectively implement official language programs within their institutions.

Have you registered yet? If your organization has not already identified and registered a participant, please complete this survey to initiate your registration.

Based on the very positive and helpful feedback from Bootcamp participants, we continue to improve the delivery of the course. We thank past participants for their feedback, and we look forward to sharing case studies with you to support continuous learning on official languages issues. Stay tuned for more!

Do you have questions about the Bootcamp?

Please e-mail us at OLCEInformationCELO@tbs-sct.gc.ca.


Did you know?

There are 2 main types of French spoken in Canada: Laurentian French and Acadian French.

Canadian French contributed to the creation of a unique language: Michif. The Métis people developed this language, which combines features from French and Indigenous languages, primarily Cree. Michif is unusual in that the nouns are generally derived from French and the verbs are derived, for the most part, from Cree.

Source


View this publication in PDF.





The OL Connection – Past Editions


October 2020
View this publication in PDF.
Headlines
2018-2019 Annual Report on Official Languages
Bilingual Meetings
Bootcamp on Official Languages


August 2020
View this publication in PDF.
Headlines
September 10 is Linguistic Duality Day!
Consultation: Official Languages (Communications with and Services to the Public) Regulations


July 2020
View this publication in PDF.
Headlines
Toolbox for the Official Languages Maturity Model (OLMM) exercise: do you have tools and best practices to share?
Guide on official languages and telework
Assessment of official languages in the appointment process
Contacting the Official Languages Centre of Excellence


May 2020
View this publication in PDF.
Headlines
Guide to Non-Imperative Staffing
Expansion of Public Service Commission measures
Best Practices on the promotion of English and French
A new COVID-19 Pandemic Lexicon