LANG Committee Report

H. Support for Linguistic Duality

1. 2008-2013 Roadmap Investments: Initiatives and success stories

1.1 Language Portal of Canada (Translation Bureau, Public Works and Government Services Canada)

Further to the official language commitments made by the federal government, the Translation Bureau has created the Language Portal of Canada and established the Canadian Language Sector Enhancement Program. The portal offers free Internet access to a range of Canadian linguistic resources, among them electronic dictionaries, writing tools and quizzes through which users can develop their skills in both official languages. It was designed with students in mind: “We work with our partners to make sure that the information is shared and readily available through the school system — with universities as well as across the board.”[233] According to the Translation Bureau, the portal currently contains more than 2,800 Canadian language resources, including some 1,800 links, 600 articles and 400 linguistic games. Part of the content is drafted through collaboration agreements with the Canadian Association of Immersion Teachers (CAIT), the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages of New Brunswick and 12 other Canadian partners. TERMIUM is the most popular portal tool.

By establishing partnerships, the Translation Bureau is able to enrich the Language Portal and lower its operating costs to ensure that all the tools are viable. The Committee notes the Translation Bureau’s interest in developing applications through which users can access tools via their smartphones.[234] Research and an experimental phase are necessary in order to establish new platforms. The Committee supports the Translation Bureau in its efforts.

With respect to the use of new technologies, the University of Ottawa’s Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute (OLBI) believes that access to universal, free e‑learning tools will be beneficial for Canadians wishing to acquire or increase their proficiency in their second official language. The OLBI noted, among other things, the possibility of exchanging with a language monitor through a Web interface and online access to language proficiency as possible e-learning tools.[235]

In light of the above, the Committee recommends:

Recommendation 21

That the Government of Canada’s future horizontal initiative for official languages increase the promotion and use of new technologies for official-language learning.

1.2 National Translation Program for Book Publishing (Canadian Heritage)

The National Translation Program for Book Publishing received $5 million under the Roadmap. The general aim of the program is to increase the availability of books in both official languages.[236]

The program does not appear to have been very popular with OLMC. The Fédération culturelle canadienne-française (FCCF) believes that is partly due to the initiative’s design. The objective of the program was to promote linguistic duality, but OLMC would have liked it to focus on the needs of their publishing companies:

…the National Translation Program for Book Publishing was not designed in response to the development challenges facing the publishers in our communities, but in order to promote linguistic duality. Even though it could be helpful, it does not meet the priority needs of small businesses like French-Canadian publishing houses and indeed very few of them have benefited from this program. The ecosystem of the book is fragile. This ecosystem has to be supported for books to be able to properly reach their audience. It is our hope that the next Roadmap will offer a program based on the real needs of publishers, following exhaustive consultations with the community.[237]

Consequently, the Committee recommends:

Recommendation 22

That Canadian Heritage review the objectives of the National Translation Program for Book Publishing following consultations with official language minority communities to determine the needs of the publishing companies in Francophone and Anglophone minority communities.