Getting on Board - Service to the Public

Table of Contents

Serving English-speaking and French-speaking Clients Effectively

New Service Arrangements and Delivery

Managing Service Quality

Conclusion

Official Language Minority Communities

Associations Representing the Official Language Minority Press

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Treasury Board Mandate

As set out in section 46 of the Official Languages Act, which came into force on September 15, 1988, the Treasury Board is responsible for the general direction of the federal policies and programs relating to language of service to the public, language of work and participation of English-speaking and French-speaking Canadians in all federal institutions. Among other responsibilities, the Board:

• recommends policies and regulations to government and issues directives
• monitors federal institutions to ensure compliance with their obligations regarding official languages
• evaluates the effectiveness of official languages programs and policies
• informs the public and federal employees about official languages policies.

Published for the Official Languages Division by the Public Affairs Branch, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Copies may be obtained by contacting the:

Distribution Centre
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0R5
Telephone: (613) 995-2855
Facsimile: (613) 996-0518

This publication is available at one of the following addresses:

http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ollo/

http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ollo/

© Minister of Public Works and Government Services  1998

Catalogue No BT23-2/9-1998

ISBN 0-662-63517-5

This document is available in alternative formats upon request.

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Foreword

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat is pleased to make this revised publication available to Public Service managers to assist them in meeting their commitment to provide the Canadian public with quality services in both official languages. This document was updated to reflect important government initiatives introduced since it was first published in 1992.

As you know, the government has made and will continue to make efforts to improve services in order to make them more client-focussed. It has pledged its commitment to provide quality services to Canadians. Providing services that comply with the Official Languages Act is an integral part of this commitment. Federal institutions and their managers have a pivotal role to play in meeting this commitment.

Dramatic changes in the structures and functions of government have created a challenging environment in which managers are encouraged to find innovative approaches to provide quality services.

Some of these approaches include working more closely with other departments for one-stop shopping, while other approches include working with other levels of government and with the voluntary and private sectors. Managers are also turning to new technologies and information networks to help them deliver services to the public in a more responsive, effective and affordable way.

For its part in assuring quality service to the public, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat will provide the necessary leadership and establish implementation frameworks as well as act as a facilitator by providing advice and guidance to federal institutions and their managers. In this context, this guide on service to the public in both official languages should prove a useful tool for managers in communicating with their clientele in the official language of their choice.

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Serving English-Speaking and French-Speaking Clients Effectively

Your Clients' Language Rights

Federal institutions give tangible expression to the values of Canadian society set out in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, including respect for the right of Canadians to communicate with and receive service of equal quality from federal institutions in the official language of their choice. When you respect the language rights of your clients, you are not just applying an Act, a regulation or a policy - you are ensuring that members of the public can exercise their constitutional rights.

The Official Languages Act states that services must be provided in English and in French from head or central offices of federal institutions, from their offices in the National Capital Region and where there is significant demand for service in one or the other of Canada's two official languages. This requirement also applies to a number of federal institutions that have been privatized. Regulations that were made under the Act define the circumstances in which there is significant demand for services in English and French from offices of federal institutions. The regulations include a number of general rules based on the size and proportion of the official language minority in the region being served. Other rules apply to particular services, such as those provided at border crossings, for which the statistical information on the local population is of less importance. The Act stipulates that, given the nature of their services, some federal offices are required to offer services in both official languages when prescribed by regulations. The regulations also specify which services are included under the concept of "office". Examples of which include embassies, consulates and national parks.

If your office, or point of service, is required to serve the public in the official language of the client's choice, then you also have an obligation to offer your services actively in both official languages.

New Service Arrangements and Delivery

Partnering - Services Under One Roof

The Canadian public has come to expect more streamlined services from its governments. Most likely you have already participated in the innovative approaches that the government has taken to service delivery, including the creation of partnership or collaborative arrangements between departments, other levels of government, and the voluntary and private sectors.

As managers, you will have to be vigilant when services are co-located and jointly operated so that the public continues to receive the bilingual federal services to which they are entitled. The basic principle is that when a federal service is provided by a partner on behalf of your institution, your institution must take the appropriate steps to ensure that this service is provided in accordance with the Official Languages Act and its regulations.

You may want to check that this obligation forms part of your agreement with your partner(s). Among the aspects you have to consider are such things as signage, reception, publications, "1-800" lines, logos, stationery, advertising and automated information systems.

Using Information Technology for Service Delivery

Use of information technology is an efficient and cost-effective way of bringing services closer to people who need them. Remember that your electronic communications with your clients and with employees are also subject to the requirements set out in the Official Languages Act. The sooner you take these requirements into account when developing your new systems, the better.

Are you setting up a web site or sending information to clients by electronic mail? Is information to your clients being provided from computer terminals at information kiosks? The Treasury Board policy on using the official languages on electronic networks provides useful information when you are just setting out on the information highway or travelling full speed on it.

Visit the Official Languages web site at http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ollo/.  It provides online information on official languages policies and program initiatives as well as publications and contact names.

Recorded Messages Can Make a Loud Impression!

Recorded messages, including voice mail, are, in many instances, the first introduction a client may have to your service. Make sure that the recorded messages you or your staff provide reflect the equal status of English and French. This is, after all, part of actively offering your services in both official languages.

Because first impressions are lasting ones, reception arrangements in designated bilingual offices must include staff who are proficient in both languages. This type of reception will make your clients feel welcome and will avoid needless frustration.

Managing Service Quality

Quality service involves courtesy, promptness, accurate information, understanding and respect for your clients' needs, including their choice of language. The following elements are essential to achieving quality service:

Know Your Clientele

In all provinces and territories, official language minority communities are represented by recognized associations. The heads of these associations are excellent resources to help you identify the specific needs and expectations of their communities.

It is in your interest to establish good relations with these individuals. If community members are slow to approach you, take it upon yourself to initiate communications.

The regional offices of Canadian Heritage or the Official Languages Division of the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat can assist you in establishing contact with these associations, a list of which is appended. Links with the associations can also be found on the Internet, on the Official Languages web site at: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ollo/.

Criteria for Service Quality

Federal institutions are expected to set clear standards for quality of service to the public. These standards must apply equally to the delivery of services in English and in French. In offices with a legal obligation to serve their clients in both official languages, criteria such as the following could be used:

These criteria form the basis of any objective evaluation of the quality of bilingual services.

Managing Resources Effectively

Avoid the Pitfall of a Purely Technical Approach!

While recognizing the importance of the administrative aspects of the Official Languages Program, members of the public do not want to know how many positions are designated bilingual and at what level. They want only one thing: to communicate easily and smoothly with employees who will serve them efficiently, in a professional manner.

Once you have analysed your constraints and your clients' expectations, take stock of your resources. If you are unable to evaluate the bilingual capacity of your staff, ask for help from the appropriate services in your organization. If necessary, contact your head office to determine the most effective way to meet the requirements of the Official Languages Act and its regulations, including reassignment of your resources, recruitment of bilingual staff or investment in training.

When you recruit staff for positions that require contact with clients of official language communities, make sure to include the following qualifications in the position descriptions:

In the case of the supervisors of these employees, the statement of qualifications might include:

Make Use of Internal Services

All federal institutions have a person responsible for the implementation of its official languages obligations. It is to your advantage as a manager to contact this individual to keep abreast of changes and to make him or her aware of your office's needs. Even if your office is meeting the quality of service objectives, planning for and training back-up staff is very important in maintaining service flexibility.

The necessary programs are usually available in the public or private sector. Examples of these programs include the following: evaluation of language proficiency, training in telephone and in-person reception services, spoken and written language training, use of software in the second language, immersion and self-teaching.

Publicize Your Services

Members of official language communities need to know where to go to get available services. With this in mind, it is your responsibility as a manager of an office with the obligation to provide services in both official languages to take the initiative and inform the members of the community of the linguistic capacity of your office. Due attention is to be paid to their complaints, should any arise. You must always be ahead of the demand, and, in fact, encourage it.

If some of your clients react negatively to a bilingual greeting, the solution is not to give up all forms of bilingual offer of service. Instead, you could use this opportunity to instruct your staff - telephone receptionists in particular - how to deal with intolerant and even difficult clients. This training will prove invaluable in similar situations where official languages are not the issue.

Make the Walls Talk

Post the official languages symbol prominently, together with directional signs to show the way to the office that provides services in English and in French.

Official language communities, whether Anglophone or Francophone, expect your office to make people feel welcome in both official languages. That includes forms, brochures, electronic signage, etc.

If in-person reception services are not available, you will have to provide visual directions through permanent or temporary signs. It is the responsibility of each institution and each manager to ensure that these signs are in place and are being used effectively.

Be Careful with Temporary Signs!

Sometimes we post special messages and reminders to our clients in our offices and other points of service on a temporary basis. This type of signage is the source of many of the complaints from the public. These messages, although temporary, must always be written properly in both official languages, which means they must be free of all grammatical and spelling errors. The public is particularly sensitive to the care you give to messages of this nature, which indicates the importance your organization places on quality service.

What About Your Communications Plan?

Your communications plan should take into account the requirement to inform both official language communities about the location of your bilingual offices.

It is important to choose the right media, including the minority language press, to allow you to reach both linguistic communities.

Consult the directories and information bulletins published by the official language communities. Prepare a list of contact persons and a list of the electronic media preferred by these communities. By using the official language community's radio and television stations as well as its local weekly newspapers, you will be able to make your clients aware of your services and direct them to the appropriate offices. You may also want to distribute your institution's publications in the community association's offices and cultural centres and at special events.

Show Your Colours

Once you have informed your clients about the location of your bilingual offices, make sure that your staff offer their services in both official languages. For example, the thousands of visitors to the National Capital Region appreciate the fact that the bilingual staff responsible for greeting the public at museums, the National Arts Centre and on Parliament Hill wear a pin showing the official languages symbol. This clearly indicates their ability to speak to visitors in their preferred official language. Such a positive gesture is an excellent means of removing any doubt about the availability of services offered in both official languages.

What Do People Think of Your Services?

Federal institutions must use feedback mechanisms to measure the degree of satisfaction on the part of their clients. Excellence in service cannot be achieved without listening to and evaluating clients' comments. The official languages field is no exception. Make the evaluation of the official languages aspect an integral part of any overall evaluation of your operational activities.

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Conclusion

Above All, Set a Good Example

As the manager of a bilingual office, you are the key to ensuring that a competent and efficient team provides services to English-speaking and French-speaking clients.

You set the tone for your employees. It's up to you to show a sustained interest in serving both official language communities and to ensure that your employees understand the meaning of institutional bilingualism. It is worthwhile reminding your staff from time to time of the steps that lead from constitutional rights to the daily practice of offering bilingual service.

Respect for People: A Fundamental Value

The delivery of services of reasonably equal quality in English and in French is basically a question of attitude and personal commitment on the part of federal institutions and their employees who serve the Canadian public.

For this fundamental reason, all your efforts must be aimed at making sure your clients never hear this sentence:

"Sorry... I don't speak French."

How annoying this is for the client and how embarrassing for the employee, in addition to the costs of dealing with complaints. One simple sentence, spoken in a friendly tone of voice, would have shown the client that the right to communicate in the language of his or her choice had been respected:

« Un moment, s'il-vous-plait, quelqu'un s'occupe de vous tout de suite. »

The following list is provided for the reader's convenience, but it does not purport to be exhaustive. Other local associations exist in most provinces. It is helpful to know that clients from official language minority communities can help federal institutions to better understand and improve the service to official language minority groups.

Fédération franco-ténoise P.O. Box 1325 5016, 48th Street Yellowknife, Northwest Territories X1A 2N9 Telephone: (867) 920-2919 Facsmile: (867) 873-2158 E-mail: fft@franco-nord.com Web site: http://franco-nord.com	Association canadienne française de l'Alberta Room 303 8527 Marie-Anne-Gaboury Street (91st Street) Edmonton, Alberta T6C 3N1 Telephone: (403) 466-1680 Facsimile: (403) 465-6773 E-mail : acfaprov@francalta.ab.ca Web site : http://www.francalta.ab.ca	Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse 1106, South Park Street Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 2W7 Telephone: (902) 421-1772 Facsimile: (902) 422-3942 E-mail : fane@ns.sympatico.ca
Association franco-yukonnaise P.O. Box 5205 302, Strickland Street Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 4Z1 Telephone: (867) 668-2663 Facsimile: (867) 668-3511 E-mail: francoyk@yknet.yk.ca Web site: http://www.afy.ca	Association culturelle franco-canadienne de la Saskatchewan 2132, Broad Street Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 1Y5 Telephone: (306) 569-1912 Facsimile: (306) 781-7916 E-mail: acfc@franco.ca Web site: http://www.dlcwest.com/~cfc	Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada Place de la francophonie Room 300 450, Rideau Street Ottawa, Ontario K1N 5Z4 Telephone: (613) 241-7600 Facsimile: (613) 241-6046 E-mail: fcfa@franco.ca Web site: http://franco.ca/
Fédération des francophones de la Colombie-Britannique 1575, 7th Avenue West Vancouver, British-Columbia V6J 1S1 Telephone: (604) 732-1420 Facsimile: (604) 732-3236 E-mail: ffcb@pinc.com Web site: http://franco.ca/	Société franco-manitobaine Room 212 383, Provencher Blvd. St. Boniface , Manitoba R2H 0G9 Telephone: (204) 233-4915 Facsimile: (204) 233-1017 E-mail: sfm@franco-manitobain.org Web site: http://www.franco-manitobain.org	Société des acadiens et des acadiennes du Nouveau-Brunswick P.O. BOX 670 Petit-Rocher, New-Brunswick E0B 2E0 Telephone: (506) 783-4205 Facsimile: (506) 783-0629 E-mail: saanb@nbnet.nb.ca Web site: http://www.saanb.org/
Alliance Québec Suite 2950 630 René-Lévesque Blvd. West Montréal, Québec H3B 1S6 Telephone: (514) 875-2771 Facsimile: (514) 875-7507 E-mail: aqinfo@aq.qc.ca Web site: http://www.aq.qc.ca	Association canadienne-française de l'Ontario Room 1711 2 Carlton Street Toronto, Ontario M5B 1J3 Telephone: (416) 595-5585 Facsimile: (416) 595-0202 E-mail: aefo@franco.ca Web site: http://www.aefo.on.ca//default.aspx?SID=2DAF1EA4-D471-45E0-8F55-F36C7C24B3DD	Société nationale de l'Acadie 415, Notre-Dame Street Dieppe, New Brunswick E1A 2A8 Telephone: (506) 853-0404 Facsimile: (506) 853-0400 E-mail: sna@nbet.nb.ca Web site: http://www.snacadie.org/
Société Saint-Thomas D'Aquin P.O. Box 1330 340 Court Street Summerside, Prince Edward Island C1N 4K2 Telephone: (902) 436-4881 Facsimile: (902) 436-6936 E-mail: jacadien@cycor.ca	Fédération des francophones de Terre-Neuve et du Labrador 265 Duckworth Street St. John's, Newfoundland A1C 1G9 Telephone: (709) 722-0627 Facsimile: (709) 722-9904 E-mail: fftnl@franco.ca Web site: http://franco.ca/fftnl

 

Association de la presse francophone Room 702 325 Dalhousie Street Ottawa, Ontario K1N 7G2 Telephone: (613) 241-1017 Facsimile: (613) 241-6193 E-mail: aps.opscom@sympatico.ca Web site: http://apf.ca/

Quebec Community Newspapers Association Macdonald College 21111 Lakeshore Road Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec H9X 3V9 Telephone: (514)398-7706 Facsimile: (514) 398-7972 E-mail: qcna@ocna.org

Reminder

Active Offer of Services in Both Official Languages

Your public is entitled to receive services in both official languages. You have the obligation to actively offer your services. Your professionalism in this area will be appreciated by your clientele and the benefits will be yours to reap.

Reminder

On the Telephone

Greeting

Transfer of Calls

Feedback

Reminder

In Person

Greeting - Verbal Aspect

Greeting - Visual Aspect

Referral to Another Employee

Feedback

Reminder

Service to the Public in Both Official Languages

For more information on service to the public and the active offer of services in both official languages, see the video "Good Morning...Bonjour" produced by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, available in your institution.

"PSST..." explains in a straightforward and enjoyable manner, the various versions of the official languages symbol and its multiple formats adapted to different office set-ups. It also includes all the information needed to order copies of the symbol in the shapes and sizes required for your office.

You can obtain copies of the pamphlet or the poster by contacting the:

Distribution Centre
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
300 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0R5
Telephone: (613) 995-2855

You may also obtain copies via the Official Languages web site at the following Internet address:
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ollo/.