New language requirements for public service supervisors don't go far enough, says official languages commissioner

Ottawa Citizen

16 hours ago

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New second-language requirements for supervisors do not go far enough to protect the language rights of public servants, a new report from the official language commissioner found.
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In the report, Official Languages Commissioner Raymond Théberge said that exemptions will limit the success of new language requirements for public service supervisors in bilingual regions.
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The new Treasury Board requirements will come into effect on June 20 and the rules will require supervisors in those areas to have a CBC in their second-language. A CBC level means having the highest proficiency levels in reading and conversation with an intermediate level in writing.
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The previous required levels of language of supervisors was BBB — an intermediate proficiency in oral, reading and writing.
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However, the requirements will only apply to new supervisors, and those already employed in the public service will not have to improve their credentials until they leave their current position.
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'I applaud this initiative as a step in the right direction, but I am concerned about what might happen to employees who are supervised by incumbents of unilingual supervisory positions or by incumbents of bilingual positions who do not meet the CBC second-language requirement,' Théberge wrote in the report.
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Théberge recommended implementing a 'monitoring mechanism' to ensure the language rights of public servants who wish to be supervised in French or English.
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The monitoring mechanism would ensure the new language requirements are followed in bilingual regions.
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In another recommendation, Théberge warned of cutting language training in light of budget cuts across the public service. The commissioner recommended that deputy heads take measures to ensure language obligations and rights in any budget reductions.
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'Unfortunately, experience has shown all too often that in this type of situation, official languages obligations are seen as superfluous in federal institutions and end up being the subject of budget cuts,' Théberge wrote.
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Théberge's report also detailed complaints filed by public servants about language in the workplace. Most of these complaints were submitted in the Ontario side of the National Capital Region, with 101 complaints. In contrast, the Quebec parts of the NCR had 40 such complaints. Meanwhile the rest of Quebec had 56 complaints and Ontario had 21.