Audit of Service to the Public
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- Bu səhifədəki naviqasiya:
- 6.2.2 Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC)
- 6.2.3 Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC)
- 6.2.4 Telefilm Canada
- 6.2.5 Industry Canada
- 6.2.6 Canada Industrial Relations Board
- Appendix
6.2 Toronto6.2.1 Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)25 St. Clair Avenue East, Toronto Burolis #: 3572 November 27, 2000 Audit results A) Active Offer Active offer on the telephone outside business hours The Toronto Citizenship and Immigration Canada office is listed in both official languages in the city telephone directory as 973-4444 (416). When we called the number outside business hours, we noted that is was a fully automated Call Answer system and available in both official languages. Active offer on the telephone during business hours When we called the above number, we were able to speak with an officer and obtain services in French. Active offer in person We did not receive an active offer at the reception counter, nor did the people ahead of us. However, the person at the reception counter was fluently bilingual and answered us in French on realizing that we spoke French. Visibility of the official languages symbol at all times We noted that there was an official languages symbol at the reception counter. Postings in both official languages at all times The postings and signage are completely bilingual. Availability of publications in both official languages All publications used come from headquarters and are available in both official languages. They include all types of brochures on a variety of subjects, such as information for visitors, students and people thinking of working temporarily in Canada. The Toronto office also placed a bilingual pamphlet at the disposal of its users on the CIC Call Centre Service. Most of the on-site documentation was available in both official languages and prominently displayed. Use of both official languages on the Internet site The Citizenship and Immigration Canada Internet site (http://www.cic.gc.ca/) is fully bilingual and very user-friendly. It describes the full range of services provided by CIC. There is no specific reference to the Toronto office. B) Service Nature of services provided by the office visited Among other things, the Toronto office is responsible for services related to citizenship, such as granting Canadian citizenship, issuing proof of Canadian citizenship, establishing the validity of Canadian citizenship, etc. It also provides services to Canadians requesting information on citizenship and dual citizenship, and answers questions about permanent residents. The office can also provide services to workers or students with visa problems. The manager with whom we met told us that the office had several French-speaking clients, mainly from Africa. Existence of bilingual capacity required to provide continuous service in both official languages This regional office underwent a major restructuring process that affected a dozen offices. Of the approximately 1200 positions that are in contact with the public, 120 are bilingual. The employees occupying the bilingual positions have at least level BBC, and their bilingualism tests are still valid. There are 15 bilingual positions associated with the call centre (50 positions). The manager indicated that the turnover rate for employees working at this centre was very high, and that these positions were hard to fill given the low unemployment rate in the Toronto region and the fact that the office must also take other factors, such as diversity, into account in its hiring practices. A few employees are taking language training. The manager told us that it was difficult to juggle the courses and work, and that it was also hard to find customized courses in Toronto. Some employees take language courses at the office’s learning centre every Friday afternoon. Availability of work tools required for provision of services in both official languages According to the manager with whom we met, the office now receives slightly more correspondence in French. The office is equipped with bilingual keyboards and has all of the work tools to provide service in both official languages. The business cards, letterhead and fax cover sheets are completely bilingual. Comparability of the service to the public in both official languages, and availability of administrative arrangements as necessary The services provided are fully comparable and equal in quality, because there are always enough bilingual employees on duty to provide service in both official languages. C) Managers’ Responsibilities Knowledge of requirements regarding service to the public in both official languages The manager with whom we met was well aware of the office’s language obligations. Existence of controls to ensure service is always provided in both official languages There are no specific controls to ensure that service is always provided in both official languages. The manager feels that the quality of services has improved in recent years. Existence of mechanisms to assess client satisfaction There are no formal mechanisms to assess client satisfaction. However, the office conducts exit interviews that provide it with some relevant information. Meetings with the representatives of the official language minority community There are practically no formal meetings with the official language minority community. Use of the media The office does not use the media much, but when it does, it ensures that everything is done in both official languages. Complaints related to official languages There were no complaints related to official languages in this office last year. Changes since the last audit The last audit was conducted in 1996. Since that time, this office has undergone major restructuring. It is therefore not appropriate to compare the delivery of services in the two official languages. In both cases, the services provided are adequate. Recommendations Following the audit, it is recommended:
6.2.2 Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC)25 St. Clair Avenue East, Toronto Burolis #: 1594 November 27, 2000 Audit results A) Active Offer Active offer on the telephone outside business hours The telephone number for this HRDC office is listed in both official languages in the Toronto telephone directory as 973-3510 (416). When we called the number outside business hours, we noted that there was no Call Answer system and the telephone kept on ringing. Active offer on the telephone during business hours When we called the above number, we received an active offer and service in French. Active offer in person There was no active offer when we went to the reception counter, but we did obtain services in French. The managers told us that there is no active offer at this office because it is located in an English-speaking environment. However, we were told that services are available in French and that a bilingual employee is quickly summoned when there is a request for services in French. Visibility of the official languages symbol at all times We noted that there was an official languages symbol at the reception counter. Postings in both official languages at all times The postings and signage are generally bilingual. A few posters are in English only, including one that reads "Please ring for service." Availability of publications in both official languages There are no in-house publications other than the Centre’s business plan, which is available in both official languages. All publications used come from headquarters and are also available in both official languages. They include forms on Employment Insurance, Old Age Security and the Canada Pension Plan. Use of both official languages on the Internet site The HRDC Internet site (http://www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/) is completely bilingual and includes a notice to indicate that some hyperlinks are only available in the language in which they were provided. It describes the full range of services provided by the Department. We also noted that there was a specific Internet site for the Toronto office at the following address: (http://www.drhc.gc.ca/cgi-bin/hr-display.cgi?rc=3505&ln=e). This bilingual site provides a brief description of the services, resources and job banks available at this address. B) Service Nature of services provided by the office visited This is the Human Resource Centre of Canada (HRCC) in Toronto that provides bilingual services. It offers a wide range of services dealing with employment insurance, contributions, information for foreign workers, etc. For example, to determine whether the employment offer made to a foreign worker requires validation, the HRCC officer must assess the potential impact of hiring a foreign worker on the Canadian job market. This work often requires close collaboration between such officers and Citizenship and Immigration Canada, since one of the responsibilities of the latter is to determine whether a work permit should be issued to foreign workers. Third parties who provide services on behalf of HRCC have an official languages clause in their contract, and their services must be provided in both official languages. Existence of bilingual capacity required to provide continuous service in both official languages This office has approximately 50 positions that provide client services, four of which are designated level BBC bilingual imperative. All the employees in these positions have at least this standard, and their test results are still valid. Management told us that it had some difficulty recruiting bilingual employees. Availability of work tools required for provision of service in both official languages According to the managers we met, the office has the work tools to provide the service in both official languages. The office does not have bilingual keyboards, but accents can still be used. The business cards are bilingual, but the letterhead and fax cover sheets used are often in English only. Comparability of the service to the public in both official languages, and availability of administrative arrangements as necessary The services provided in person are not fully comparable or equal in quality, because there is no active offer at the reception counter nor are there enough bilingual employees on duty to provide service in both official languages at all times. If there is a demand for services in French and no bilingual employees are on duty, the centre must use other resources in the building to provide assistance. The managers told us that it was difficult to manage delivery of services in French in a context where their resources are very limited, particularly during annual vacation periods or holidays. C) Managers’ Responsibilities Knowledge of requirements regarding service to the public in both official languages The managers with whom we met were well aware of their office’s official language obligations. Existence of controls to ensure service is always provided in both official languages There are no specific controls at this office to ensure that the service is always provided in both official languages. Existence of mechanisms to assess client satisfaction There are no mechanisms to assess client satisfaction. Meetings with the representatives of the official language minority community There are no formal meetings with the official language minority community, but from time to time two Francophone project officers meet with the Francophone community to do presentations or discuss HRDC programs and services. The HRCC also maintains contacts with various groups that include several members of the French-speaking African community. Management informed us that it was very involved with this community. Use of the media Media advertising is more a public affairs responsibility. We were told that the only advertising from this office is in relation to the job fairs and is published in both official languages. Complaints related to official languages There were no complaints related to official languages in the past year. Changes since the last inspection The last inspection dates back to 1998. At that time there were also four positions designated bilingual and that situation has remained unchanged. The lack of an active offer in person as well as the lack of an official languages symbol at the reception counter was noted in 1998. However, we noted that an active offer is now made on the telephone and that services can be obtained in French. There has therefore been an improvement in this respect. Recommendations Following the audit, it is recommended:
6.2.3 Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC)25 St. Clair Avenue East, Toronto Burolis #: 15992 November 27, 2000 Audit results A) Active Offer Active offer on the telephone outside business hours The HRDC telephone number is listed in the Toronto telephone directory in both official languages as 973-6915 (416). When we called this number outside business hours, we noted that the telephone message was fully bilingual. This number generally does not provide personalized services; it gives information and several telephone numbers to call for specific services. We tried calling 730-1411 (416) for employment insurance; again this was a number that automatically directs calls 24 hours a day to another Call Answer system that is also fully bilingual. Active offer on the telephone during business hours When we called 973-6915 (416), there was an active offer and service in French when it was possible to speak to an attendant. The latter also knows the language of the caller, who selects the English or French menu for further options. Active offer in person When we went to the reception counter, we received an offer and service in French. The manager told us that the active offer was not systematically made at this office. However, he expects his employees to use their judgement and make an active offer depending on who comes to the reception. The manager is aware that he is not following the rule, but feels that employees must be given some latitude in this respect. Visibility of the official languages symbol at all times The official languages symbol is prominently displayed at the reception counter and is considered by the management to be a form of active offer. Postings in both official languages at all times The postings and signage are bilingual. It was noted that even the temporary postings were bilingual. Availability of publications in both official languages There are practically no in-house publications other than the Centre’s business plan and a few pamphlets. These documents are available in both official languages. Most of the publications used come from headquarters and are also available in both official languages. They include forms on Employment Insurance, Old Age Security and the Canada Pension Plan. Use of both official languages on the Internet site The HRDC Internet site (http://www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/) is completely bilingual and includes a notice to indicate that some hyperlinks are only available in the language in which they were provided. It describes the full range of services provided by the Department. We also noted that there was a specific Internet site for the Toronto office at the following address: (http://www.drhc.gc.ca/cgi-bin/hr-display.cgi?rc=3505&ln=e). This bilingual site provides a brief description of the services, resources and job banks available at this address. B) Service Nature of the services provided by the office visited This is the Toronto Human Resource Centre of Canada (HRCC) that provides bilingual services. It offers a wide range of services dealing with employment insurance, Social Insurance Number applications, income security programs assistance, job search techniques, employment counselling, labour market information, investigations to detect fraud, etc. The manager told us that, while all of the services were previously provided by the Department, several of them are now provided by third parties. The latter have an official languages clause in their contract with the Department and must provide services in both official languages. There is a centre at this address that specifically targets clients who speak French, and where French-speaking clients who are looking for state-of-the-art or specialized services are referred. Existence of bilingual capacity required to provide continuous service in both official languages This office has approximately 85 positions that provide client service, 18 of which are designated bilingual. Most of the employees who work in these positions have at least level CBC, and their test results are still valid. Management told us that it is always a challenge to recruit bilingual employees and even more so to keep them, since bilingual employees are very much in demand. Availability of work tools required for provision of service in both official languages According to the manager with whom we met, the office has the work tools to provide service in both official languages. The office has bilingual keyboards and all of the material required to conduct and report on calls in French. The business cards are bilingual, but the letterhead and fax cover sheets used are not always bilingual. Comparability of the service to the public in both official languages, and availability of administrative arrangements as necessary The services provided are comparable and of equal quality, because there are enough bilingual employees on duty to provide the service in both official languages at all times. C) Managers’ Responsibilities Knowledge of requirements regarding service to the public in both official languages The manager with whom we met was well aware of the office’s official language obligations. Existence of controls to ensure service is always provided in both official languages There are no specific controls at this office to ensure that the service is always provided in both official languages. We were told there is always a supervisor in attendance in the public area whose responsibility is to ensure that clients' official language preferences are respected. Existence of mechanisms to assess client satisfaction While many businesses are polled, the manager did not know whether the official languages aspect was covered in these surveys. Meetings with the representatives of the official language minority community There are no formal meetings with the official language minority community. However, the HRCC maintains contacts with Centre Francophone du Toronto Métropolitain and with Collège des Grand Lacs to help people of all ages, regardless of whether they are EI claimants, to re-enter the labour force as employees or self-employed workers. Use of the media Media advertising is more a public affairs responsibility, and communications are handled by the regional office. Complaints related to official languages There were no complaints related to official languages in the past year. Changes since the last audit The last audit was conducted in 1996. At that time there were fewer than ten positions designated as bilingual, and the quality of services in French depended a great deal on the sections where they were required. Services in French were not at all comparable and could not be provided on an ongoing basis. There has been significant improvement in this respect. Recommendations Following the audit, it is recommended:
6.2.4 Telefilm Canada2 Bloor Street West, Toronto Burolis #: 15786 November 30, 2000 Audit results A) Active Offer Active offer on the telephone outside business hours The telephone number for Telefilm Canada is listed in both official languages in the Toronto telephone directory as 973-6436 (416). When we called the number outside business hours, we noted that the telephone message was fully bilingual. Active offer on the telephone during business hours When we called the above number, there was an active offer and service in French. Active offer in person We did not receive an active offer when we went to the reception counter, but the employee was bilingual and could answer our questions in French. The director with whom we met told us that the receptionist is told to make an active offer in person, but that she rarely does so unless she recognizes clients who speak French. We were told that there is not much demand for services in French at this office. Visibility of the official languages symbol at all times The official languages symbol is prominently displayed at the reception counter. Postings in both official languages at all times The postings and signage are bilingual. Availability of publications in both official languages There are practically no in-house publications other than the new regional newsletter Expresso, which was first published in October 2000 and is available in both official languages. Most of the publications used come from headquarters and are available in both official languages. They include annual reports, business plans, news releases, forms, pamphlets on the various programs, etc. Most of the documents at the reception counter were primarily in English. Use of both official languages on the Internet site The Telefilm Canada Internet site (http://www.telefilm.gc.ca/en/intro.htm) is fully bilingual. It describes the full range of services provided by this government Corporation. It is very easy to move from one language to the other on this site. While there is no separate Internet site for the Toronto office, there are references to it on the Corporation’s website. B) Service Nature of the services provided by the office visited Telefilm Canada is a federal cultural agency devoted primarily to the development and promotion of the Canadian television and film industry. The Corporation funds a wide range of programs: feature films, new media productions, dramatic television productions, children’s programming, variety and performing arts programs and documentaries. The Corporation administers several funds, including the Canadian Television Fund – Equity Investment Program (CTF-EIP), the Feature Film Fund, the Multimedia Fund, and the Canadian Film and Video Festivals Grants Fund. Existence of bilingual capacity required to provide continuous service in both official languages There are no positions that are designated bilingual at the Toronto office of Telefilm Canada. The only specific position that is recruited with full bilingual capacity is that of the receptionist. When the latter is on holiday, the replacement worker is not bilingual. The director said that although no other specific positions are designated bilingual, hiring practices are such that the office will always have a sufficient number of bilingual staff to be able to offer service in French. We were told that there were seven persons who were bilingual. The management recognizes that it has some difficulty with content analysis, and that it is forced to use outside readers or colleagues from the Montreal office to go over scripts. We should point out that a few employees have taken part-time French training over the past year. Availability of work tools required for provision of service in both official languages According to the director we met, the office has the work tools to provide service in both official languages. However, clients are not always answered in the language of their choice; replies to letters received in French are generally written in English. The director informed us that the provision of written correspondence in French was a priority for the next fiscal year. The business cards are bilingual, while the letterhead and fax cover sheets are available in either French or English. Comparability of the service to the public in both official languages, and availability of administrative arrangements as necessary The services provided are not entirely comparable or equal in quality, because there are not enough bilingual employees on duty to provide service in both official languages at all times. Clients are not always served in the language of their choice, and there is not always a bilingual person at the reception counter. C) Managers’ Responsibilities Knowledge of requirements regarding service to the public in both official languages The manager we met was well aware of the official language obligations of the office. Existence of controls to ensure service is always provided in both official languages There are no specific controls in this office to ensure service is always provided in both official languages. Head office is ensuring on a regular basis that clients are provided with an active offer of service in both official languages through spot checks. Existence of mechanisms to assess client satisfaction There are no mechanisms to assess client satisfaction. Meetings with the representatives of the official language minority community There are no formal meetings with the official language minority community. However, it should be mentioned that the Corporation promotes its action plan during consultation sessions and meetings held during the year with representatives of official language minority communities from all regions of the country. Use of the media Media advertising is more a public affairs responsibility, and communications are handled by the head office. Complaints related to official languages There have been no complaints related to official languages in recent years. Changes since the last inspection The last inspection dates back to 1998. The situation is essentially the same as it was at that time. In 1998, there were four positions filled with bilingual staff, and the quality of services in French depended a great deal on the sections where they were required. Services in French were not at all comparable and could not be provided on an ongoing basis. There has been significant improvement in this respect. Recommendations Following the audit, it is recommended:
6.2.5 Industry Canada55 St. Clair Avenue East, Toronto Burolis #: 1007 November 30, 2000 Audit results A) Active Offer Active offer on the telephone outside business hours The telephone number for Industry Canada is listed in both official languages in the Toronto telephone directory as 973-8215 (416). When we called the number outside business hours, we noted that there was no Call Answer system. Active offer on the telephone during business hours When we called the above number, we received an active offer and service in French. Active offer in person There was no one at the reception counter at the time of our visit. This is not really the type of office where the reception is always staffed, since most of the services are provided on the telephone or via email. Visibility of the official languages symbol at all times The official languages symbol is prominently displayed near the reception counter. Postings in both official languages at all times The postings and signage are bilingual. Availability of publications in both official languages There are no in-house publications. Most of the publications used come from headquarters and are available in both official languages. They include pamphlets on radio spectrum management and telecommunications, technical newsletters on converters, interference, static, etc. Use of both official languages on the Internet site The Industry Canada Internet site (http://www.ic.gc.ca/) is fully bilingual. It describes the full range of services provided by the Department. There is no separate Internet site for this Toronto office. B) Service Nature of the services provided by the office visited This office provides services related to the functions of spectrum management, such as the application for and issuing of licences, frequency searches, procedures for radio-frequency certification, emergency broadcasting systems, etc. Clients are the primary communications systems users; they include police officers, fire fighters, ambulance attendants, taxi drivers, etc. Existence of bilingual capacity required to provide continuous service in both official languages This organization has 34 positions, four of which are designated bilingual. The language standard for these positions is CCC and all of the inspectors occupying these bilingual positions have attained this standard. Their results are still valid and several have a language exemption. Since these inspectors can work in several areas of expertise and staff rotation is frequent, the language capacity remains constant due to the ability of the bilingual employees to cover all of the areas of service provided by this office. We were told that few clients came directly to the office; most clients make an appointment or do their business over the telephone or by email. The office therefore knows which language to use in dealing with a given client, and this facilitates work planning. We were told that there was limited demand for services in French. Availability of work tools required for provision of service in both official languages According to the manager, the office has the work tools to provide the service in both official languages. The business cards, letterhead and fax cover sheets are bilingual. Comparability of the service to the public in both official languages, and availability of administrative arrangements as necessary The services provided are comparable and equal in quality, because there are enough bilingual employees on duty to provide service in both official languages at all times. Furthermore, due to the bilingualism level of the inspectors and their versatility with respect to the various functions of the organization, clients who speak French can receive service of comparable quality. The management considers that it has enough resources to provide the service and that the demand for service in French represents approximately 2% of overall demand. Slightly more than 10% of its resources are bilingual, which makes it possible to adequately meet this demand. C) Managers’ Responsibilities Knowledge of requirements regarding service to the public in both official languages The manager with whom we met was well aware of the official language obligations of the office. Existence of controls to ensure service is always provided in both official languages There are no specific controls at this office to ensure that service is always provided in both official languages. Existence of mechanisms to assess client satisfaction There are a few mechanisms to assess client satisfaction. Management told us that headquarters had hired a private firm to conduct a survey. On examining the comment card used by this company, we noted that there were no questions related to official languages. Meetings with the representatives of the official language minority community There are no formal meetings with the official language minority community. However, it bears mentioning that the office has established contacts with the school boards and has provided information on Internet accessibility to both the French and English schools. Use of the media Media advertising is more a public affairs responsibility and is handled by the regional office or headquarters. Complaints related to official languages There have been no complaints related to official languages in recent years. Changes since the last inspection The last inspection dates back to 1998. The situation is essentially the same as it was at that time. Recommendations No recommendations are necessary. 6.2.6 Canada Industrial Relations Board1 Front Street West, Toronto Burolis #: 15742 November 30, 2000 Audit results A) Active Offer Active offer on the telephone outside business hours The toll-free telephone number for the Canada Industrial Relations Board is listed in both official languages in the Toronto telephone directory as 1-800-575-9696. When we called the number outside business hours, we noted that there was a fully bilingual Call Answer system. Active offer on the telephone during business hours When we called the above number, we received an active offer and service in French. Active offer in person There was no active offer at the reception counter of the office visited at the time of our audit, but the employee was bilingual and could answer our questions in French. However, the commissionaire in the building lobby did not make an active offer and was not bilingual. Visibility of the official languages symbol at all times There was a symbol at the commissionaire’s reception desk, but not at the reception counter of the Canada Industrial Relations Board. The manager thought that the symbol must have been moved, since he remembered having seen it recently. Postings in both official languages at all times The postings and signage are bilingual. Availability of publications in both official languages There are no in-house publications. Most of the publications used come from headquarters and are available in both official languages. They include summaries of the Board’s decisions, as well as information circulars on a variety of topics such as the role of labour relations officers, unlawful strikes and lockouts, applications for certification, etc. Use of both official languages on the Internet site The Canada Industrial Relations Board Internet site (http://www.cirb-ccri.gc.ca/) is fully bilingual. It describes the full range of services provided by the organization. There is no separate Internet site for the Toronto office. B) Service Nature of the services provided by the office visited The Toronto office performs the regular duties of the Canada Industrial Relations Board. It is an independent, representational, quasi-judicial tribunal responsible for the interpretation and administration of Part I (Industrial Relations), and certain provisions of Part II (Occupational Safety and Health), of the Canada Labour Code. The Board interprets and applies the Code in a manner that supports and promotes free collective bargaining and the constructive settlement of disputes. It provides a wide range of services, including certifying trade unions, investigating complaints of unfair labour practices, issuing cease-and-desist orders in cases of unlawful strikes and lockouts, etc. Existence of bilingual capacity required to provide continuous service in both official languages This organization has ten positions, five of which are in contact with the public. Two positions are designated bilingual. The language standard for these positions is CCC, and the two persons occupying these bilingual positions have at least the standard requirements. The management considers this to be sufficient to meet the demand, as there are only one or two cases a year. Availability of work tools required for provision of service in both official languages According to the manager, the office has the work tools to provide service in both official languages. The office has keyboards that are able to display accents. The business cards, letterhead and fax cover sheets are bilingual. Comparability of the service to the public in both official languages, and availability of administrative arrangements as necessary The services provided are not entirely comparable or equal in quality, because bilingual employees are not always on duty to provide the service in both official languages. When the receptionist and the director (the two positions designated bilingual) are not in the office, bilingual services cannot be provided immediately. The office has made administrative arrangements with the Ottawa and Quebec offices in the event there is a demand for service in French that cannot be met. C) Managers’ Responsibilities Knowledge of requirements regarding service to the public in both official languages The manager we met was well aware of the official language obligations of the office. Existence of controls to ensure service is always provided in both official languages There are no specific controls at this office to ensure that service is always provided in both official languages. Existence of mechanisms to assess client satisfaction There are no mechanisms to assess client satisfaction. The manager told us that the Board is looking into this matter and has noted that it would be interesting for the language aspect to be covered in such an assessment. Meetings with the representatives of the official language minority community There are no formal meetings with the official language minority community. Use of the media Media advertising is taken on by headquarters. Complaints related to official languages There have been no complaints related to official languages in recent years. Changes since the last inspection The last inspection dates back to 1998. The situation is essentially the same as it was at that time. Recommendations Following the audit, it is recommended:
AppendixAssociation consulted in the audit
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