Apropos - Summer 2005

• HP Works with mess halls
• From the Ceo
• Succession Planning
• Putting Pollyanna to work
• Travel Services Website
• Ottawa new hires
• Connecting CF Youth
• Your body talks
• Train the trainer
• Proper posture
• Helping those in need
• Crowning the Customer
• Official Languages
• Workplace Accommodation
• CFPSA personnel receive medals
• HR conference
• Meet Gerry Mahon
• Branding CFPSA
• Honesty is the best policy
• Winner of Find a Typo
• CFLRS presentation
• Fernand Dery
• Did you know?
• Centrepointe goes down under
• 2005 SISIP FS volunteer recognition program
• Petawawa children's wish
• In Profile: Valcartier
• Kudos Corner
• Into The Archives
• Military Family Services Symposium

PREVIOUS APROPOS

• Volume 5, Issue 2
• Volume 5, Issue 1
• Volume 4, Issue 3
• Volume 4, Issue 2
• Volume 4, Issue 1
• Volume 3, Issue 3
• Volume 3, Issue 2
• Volume 3, Issue 1
• Volume 2, Issue 3
• Volume 2, Issue 2
• Volume 2, Issue 1
• Volume 1, Issue 4
• Volume 1, Issue 3
• Volume 1, Issue 2
• Volume 1, Issue 1

Official Languages: A Canadian Reality

By Jacynthe de Saint-Hilaire

In Volume 4, Issue 1 - Winter 2005, we walked you back through history and traced the evolution of official languages by flagging all of the important dates from 1759 to 1964. Let us now take a look at 1965 to the beginning of the millenium.

1967. Creation of a Bilingual Secretariat in the Privy Council Office and recruitment of bilingualism advisers in departments and agencies.
      Expo 67
      The Public Service Employment Act included language as part of merit.

1968. The first Official Languages Act (OLA)
      

      • Equality of English and French
      • Service to the public in both official languages in the National Capital Region, in bilingual regions and to the travelling public.
      • Creation of the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages (OCOL).

1974. Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act

1977. Bilingual bonus of $800

1978. Amendments to the Criminal Code regarding official languages before the courts

1982. Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
      The Constitution Act, 1982, which includes the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, is proclaimed - 10 sections in the Charter deal with official languages

1988. The new Official Languages Act is passed by Parliament

      • The new Act clarifies the obligations in the Charter (1982) regarding the use of both languages in government services and in federal institutions.
      • It also makes reference to the government's commitment to promote linguistic duality in Canadian society and support the development of linguistic communities in minority settings.

1999. Creation of an Interdepartmental Partnership with official languages communities
      Launch of the Year of La Francophonie in Canada
      The 8^th Francophone Summit in Moncton
      The 4^th Francophone Games in Hull, Ottawa

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Below is the first of the pointers that we will be publishing in Apropos to help you follow the spirit and intent of the Official Languages Act.

Directives on Notice and Advertisement in Publications

A notice, advertisement or other matter that is intended for the public shall wherever possible, be printed in one of the official languages in at least one publication in general circulation and in the other official language in at least one publication in general circulation within each region. Where no such publication exists in either French or English depending on the case, it should then be printed in both official languages in at least one publication in general circulation within that region.