GNWT to become completely bilingual
New 'Active Offer' makes French-language services available in all departments
Meagan Leonard
Northern News Services
Saturday, July 25, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Members of Yellowknife's Francophone community will be able to access more government services in French with the release of a new tool kit for GNWT employees.
Benoit Boutin, executive director of the Francophone Affairs Secreteriat, introduces the new Active Offer Tool Kit developed to assist territorial government departments in the delivery of French-language services. July 23, 2015. - Meagan Leonard/NNSL photo
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Developed as part of the French language communications and services strategic plan, the Active Offer Tool Kit will exist as a resource for GNWT front-line staff so they can provide consistent service for French-speaking residents.
"An active offer is a way of greeting members of the public that informs them that they are welcome to communicate with the GNWT in French when seeking information or a service," the literature states. "An active offer can be a sign, a personal greeting or a recorded message."
Each department will have a French-language services co-ordinator who will train staff, administer bilingual materials and address any communication issues or complaints.
Over the next few months, departments will begin incorporating bilingual greetings, e-mail, voicemail messages, signs, documents, websites, advertising, forms, certificates, permits and licences.
The tool kit is designed to make this transition easier and outline what is required. Staff who are not designated as bilingual will still have to actively offer services in French.
"This includes making sure members of the public feel comfortable requesting service in French and facilitating access to someone who will be able to provide the information or service they need," it reads.
Francophone affairs secretariat executive director Benoit Boutin said the resources were developed with lots of input from the Francophone community to determine what format would work best based on previous experience trying to access services.
"I cannot say enough how important the input, support and collaboration of the Francophone community has been to our effort," he said. "We didn't want the active offer tool kit to be developed in a dark room alone with two or three bureaucrats."
Interim NWT language commissioner Shannon Gullberg attended the launch and said the tool kit is a good example of the government taking action and following up on its commitments.
"It's one thing for government to pontificate about legislation and rights of people, it's another thing for governments to actually pass legislation that incorporates those rights on the ground," she said. "That's not an easy task, so the kit in my opinion is one of the ways to ensure that people have another tool to add to whatever the plans and goals of the department are."
Going forward, French services at the GNWT will be provided directly, by a bilingual employee in person, over the phone or via e-mail, by referral to another office or location where language services are available, or through an interpreter who will assist in the delivery of information.
The kit is part of a commitment made by the GNWT in 2012 to actively offer French-language services in all departments and agencies.
The cost of the tool-kit initiative couldn't be determined by press time.
