Results-based Three-year Action Plan — Implementation of Section 41 of the Official Languages Act 2009–2012

General Information and Period Covered

Federal department/organization: Canadian International Development Agency
Address: 200 Promenade du Portage, Gatineau K1A 0G4
Website: http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca

Minister: Hon. Beverley Oda

Official Languages Champion: Diane Jacovella as of 2009.
Mandate of the federal department/agency:

CIDA's purpose is to reduce poverty and to contribute to a more secure, equitable, and prosperous world. CIDA works with development partners, fragile states and countries in crisis, selected countries and regions, Canadian institutions, and Canadians. CIDA's partners also include multilateral and international organizations. In Canada, CIDA carries out its mandate in partnership with various levels of government, institutions such as non-governmental organizations and private businesses, universities and colleges, labour unions, professional associations, youth, and churches.

National coordinator for the implementation of Section 41: Nalini Perera

Exact title: Manager, Corporate Reporting
Mailing address: Partnerships with Canadians Branch

E-mail: nalini.perera@acdi-cida.gc.ca

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Summary of Anticipated Contributions to the Achievement of Results

A. Awareness

CIDA will pursue efforts to raise awareness of OLA Section 41. The Agency will implement an action plan which identifies activities in the next three years to promote official languages at CIDA. Planned activities will include regular organization of information sessions for all employees and managers regarding Part VII of the Official Languages Act. The Official Languages Champion will issue reminders of CIDA's duties to implement the Official Languages Act. The coordinator for the implementation of OLA Section 41 will then use internal channels of communication to keep employees and managers informed of issues relating to Part VII of the Official Languages Act. Initiatives will be planned and carried out to assess what impact procedures have on staff awareness of Section 41, such as Bulletin 41-42, which CIDA continues to distribute.

B. Consultation

Official language minority communities (OLMC), especially those with an international component, will be consulted to discuss various issues associated with our respective mandates. This will enable us to establish sustainable relations with these OLMCs and allow them to express their positions on issues central to their concerns.

C. Communication

During the next three years, CIDA will continue to disseminate the programs and services that it manages, to make them accessible to OLMCs. At the same time, certain programs will maintain their policy of direct communication with eligible organizations, including OLMCs. Specific examples include the International Youth Internship Program (IYIP), as well as regional office communication networks. IYIP plans to organize regional information sessions in Quebec, the Prairies, the Atlantic region, Ontario and British Columbia, involving organizations eligible for IYIP and affiliated with OLMCs. IYIP's distribution list will include the Fédération de la jeunesse canadienne française, which has an interest in international youth internships. The use of OLMC media will also be considered as required.

D. Coordination and liaison

CIDA will focus on sharing best practices between national and regional coordinators as well as between federal organizations with an international component, such as the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and the International Development Research Centre. Moreover, CIDA will continue to take part in interdepartmental meetings of champions and national coordinators of official languages.

These meetings will enable CIDA to better identify what measures need to be applied to ensure that CIDA's decision-making process takes into account official languages obligations.

E. Program funding and delivery

CIDA programs will remain accessible to OLMCs involved in international development. Some programs will continue to focus special attention on the area covered by their funding, especially when they receive OLMC proposals. This is true of IYIP (International Youth Internship Program) and the Canadian Francophonie Scholarship Program (CFSP). The CFSP plans to allot at least 24 percent of its commitments to Francophone universities outside Quebec. IYIP 2009-2014 has received approval from Treasury Board, and special attention will be focused on proposals from Official language minority communities.

F. Accountability

CIDA plans to monitor the content of its three-year action plan and to identify opportunities on which to capitalize with respect to the implementation of OLA Section 41.

The Agency will identify ways to ensure that a "Section 41 lens" is applied to CIDA's departmental plans and reports.

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2009-2012 Planned Activities for the Implementation of Section 41 of the Official Languages Act

A. Awareness

Targeted outcomes: CIDA employees and managers know and understand their responsibilities regarding Section 41 of the Official Languages Act and OLMCs.

Planned activities	Expected results	Targeted outcome measurement indicators
An action plan and work team will be established to promote official languages at CIDA via the new Official Languages Champion, who will develop activities and efforts for CIDA to undertake over the next three years.	An action plan will be established and monitored, and a work team to promote official languages will meet periodically to implement the action plan.	Increased promotion of official languages at CIDA, measured by the activities undertaken as part of the action plan.
Meetings and awareness and familiarization sessions will be organized regarding the implementation of OLA Section 41: for CIDA employees and senior managers; for Official Languages Advisory Committee members. The regional representation will receive the same information, but in a different format, as sessions are not always practical for these small offices, which are administered by one to three people.	Plans and calendars of the sessions organized each year, including brown bag lunches, facilitated by people from outside CIDA with experience in official languages.	Greater understanding and knowledge by CIDA staff, including senior staff, who will become more aware of the implementation of Section 41 of the Official Languages Act. This could be measured via evaluations distributed to participants.
Add information regarding the implementation of OLA Section 41 to the content of orientation kits for new staff.	Awareness leaflets / documents regarding OLA Section 41 Excerpts of copies of OLA Part VII distributed to CIDA staff, especially new hires.	Greater understanding and knowledge of Section 41 among those who receive information kits. Evaluations could be done when the information is distributed, or some time later.
Use internal communication channels (such as the Entre Nous intranet site) in order to disseminate messages of interest about OLA Section 41.	Messages published on internal communication networks, including the intranet.	Greater understanding and knowledge of Section 41 by CIDA staff. This could be estimated by the number of messages, how often they are conveyed by internal channels of communication, and the number of visits to web pages.
Distribute and disseminate media that provide a forum for implementing Section 41, such as Bulletin 41-42.	Print media and/or electronic links shared within CIDA, including Bulletin 41-42.	Greater understanding and knowledge of Section 41 by those who receive electronic messages or paper posters, depending on the event associated with Section 41. Evaluations will be done to measure results.
Take part in events promoting linguistic duality, such as the Rendez-vous de la Francophonie, as well as those events organized by OLMCs.	CIDA participation in events such as the Rendez-vous de la Francophonie. Participation of CIDA regional representatives in activities organized by OLMCs in the regions.	CIDA staff awareness of the promotion of linguistic duality and OLMCs, estimated by the number of participants at events.

B. Consultation: exchange of information and ideas

Targeted outcomes: Establishment of sustainable relations between CIDA and OLMCs to ensure mutual understanding of their respective needs and mandates.

Planned activities	Expected results	Targeted outcome measurement indicators
Organization of meetings associating OLMCs with CIDA programs, including programs involving youth and CIDA regional representations.	Schedule of meetings and documentation relating to these events.	OLMCs know more about CIDA programs, and CIDA employees better understand the needs and mandates of OLMCs. This could be measured through follow-up on decisions made at meetings. Frequency and number of meetings involving OLMCs that reflect the sustainability of the ties established.
Participation and organization of meetings to share information with other federal organizations involved at the international level: Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and the International Development Research Centre.	Scheduling of meetings with these organizations. Sharing of information on best practices.	Identification of common areas of interest-pooling and sharing of best practices and CIDA's application of these new practices.
CIDA regional offices organize meetings with OLMCs in the regions (Pacific, Prairies and Atlantic).	Scheduling of events that may interest OLMCs: International Cooperation Days, International Development Week.	Feedback from organizations taking part in the meetings. Nature of follow-up of decisions made at meetings. Number/frequency of meetings between CIDA regional offices and OLMCs in the regions.

C. Communication ― Transmission of information to OLMCs

Targeted outcomes: The OLMC culture reflects an understanding of CIDA's mandate. OLMCs receive relevant and up-to-date information regarding CIDA's programs and services.

Planned activities	Expected results	Targeted outcome measurement indicators
Presentation of CIDA programs and services to organizations likely to be interested in international development.	Decks and schedules of meetings. Announcements/advertising of events.	Feedback from participants.
Use of media affiliated with OLMCs, as required.	Preparation of announcements and articles for the media. Arrangement of meetings with these media, as required.	Number of OLMC-affiliated media contacted; estimate of the scope of announcements and articles. Meetings arranged with the media.
Set aside space for Section 41 on CIDA's website. Publication of official languages reports and plans on CIDA's website.	Place reserved on the website for official languages and OLA Section 41.	Feedback from OLMCs listed. Increase in site traffic.
Use of bilingual newsletters from regional offices to disseminate news releases.	Publication of newsletters.	Number of publications, feedback from targeted organizations, and feedback from OLMCs.

D. Coordination and liaison

Targeted outcomes: Collaboration with multiple partners to foster the development and growth of OLMCs and to exchange best practices.

Planned activities	Expected results	Targeted outcome measurement indicators
CIDA's participation in interdepartmental official languages meetings (coordinators for the implementation of Section 41) to share and implement best practices, and to exchange ideas about such things as opportunities for cooperation.	Planning of meetings. Identification of action to take to ensure that CIDA's decision-making process takes into account official languages obligations.	Number of meetings and presence of the coordinator. Action identified and taken.
Participation in meetings of the Network of Official Languages Champions.	Scheduling and attendance of meetings.	Participation of CIDA in key OL meetings
Exchanges with official languages support programs / Department of Canadian Heritage.	Schedule of meetings.	Agenda of meetings, issues discussed, number of practices improved.
Discussion of best practices with federal organizations having an international component.	Planning of meetings.	Number and extent of best practices shared and then implemented at CIDA.

E. Program funding and delivery

Targeted outcomes: OLMCs are part of CIDA's regular clientele and have adequate access to its programs and services. Take into account the needs of OLMCs regarding development opportunities.

Planned activities	Expected results	Targeted outcome measurement indicators
Support for OLMCs interested in international development and that meet CIDA requirements.	Programs and projects funded.	Number of projects or programs supported, compared to previous years. (Informal reports in this regard are obtained annually from each CIDA branch, in preparing the annual Section 41 implementation report.) Rate of participation by OLMCs that expressed an interest in CIDA programs.
Some CIDA programs adopt an approach accommodating the status of OLMCs, such as the International Youth Internship Program, as well as the Canadian Francophonie Scholarship Program.	Directive in favour of OLMCs.	Number of programs tailored to the needs of OLMCs as a result of implementing the directive.

F. Accountability

Targeted outcome: Full mainstreaming of OLA Section 41 and OLMC views in CIDA policies, programs, and services. The accountability structure, internal assessments, and policy reviews make it possible to determine how to better integrate OLMC views.

Planned activities	Expected results	Targeted outcome measurement indicators
Development of the annual report on the implementation of OLA Section 41.	Report approved by senior management.	Nature and number of activities carried out during the year.
Review of programs and services connected with OLA Section 41.	Management meetings on program reviews.	Number of programs and policies identified.
Identification of action to take to ensure that a "Section 41 lens" is applied to all CIDA departmental plans and reports.	Action identified and taken.	Better mainstreaming of OLMC views in CIDA policies, programs, and services. Number of activities implemented. Number of plans/reports featuring content influenced by a "Section 41 lens"

Communication Plan

Distribution List

When this report is published on the Internet, CIDA will advise the following groups, chosen because they are stakeholders in this matter:

• Clerk of the Standing Committee on Official Languages of the House of Common
• Clerk of the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages
• Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
• Provincial and territorial councils
• Umbrella organizations:
  
  
  • Association des universités de la Francophonie canadienne (AUFC)
  • Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC)
  • Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC)
  • Fédération des communautés francophones et acadiennes du Canada (FCFA)
  • Québec Community Groups Network (QCGN)
  • Canadian Manufacturers' Association
  • Fédération de la jeunesse canadienne-française
  • Alliance des radios communautaires