Leaders make it happen in both official languages

Checklist for managers in bilingual regions

Leadership is key to creating an exemplary workplace when it comes to encouraging the use of both official languages. It is also key to fully reflecting Canada's linguistic duality within institutions subject to the Official Languages Act.

Leading by example, a manager:

• recognizes that linguistic duality is a fundamental value of Canadian society that is enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
• realizes that linguistic duality is essential to serving Canadians and to a respectful workplace
• strives to maintain and improve personal use of English and French in the workplace
• encourages staff to learn and retain second-language skills
• sets meaningful official-languages objectives and achieves them
• encourages staff to work in their preferred official language
• strives for a balanced use of English and French in meetings
• ensures that his or her integrated plan captures the required capacity to serve Canadians in the official language of their choice
• values diversity, promotes the bilingual character of the public service, and upholds the values and ethics of the public sector, as set out in the government's new key leadership competencies