Canadian Heritage
Symbol of the Government of Canada

Schedule B - Yukon Strategic Plan on French Language Services 2005-2006

  1. Portrait of the Community

    1.1 Yukon Francophone Community Profile:

    The francophone community in the Yukon is mainly concentrated in Whitehorse. Other than for a much smaller group in Dawson City, the rest of the francophone community is scattered throughout the Yukon. The community is dynamic and continues to expand, not only in terms of the number of francophones but in terms of a percentage of the general population of the Yukon. Fourteen percent of Yukoners have a francophone heritage, some 4,500 people. Of these, 1000 still use French as a first language and strongly wish to transmit their language and culture to their children. Many of them are also bilingual and, characteristically, if it is obvious that either they or others will have to wait while a French service provider is located, they will accept service in English.

    1.2 The Yukon Model

    Yukon francophones and the Yukon government have endeavoured to create services which were "useful, usable and used' . That is to say, they wished to create a French language service model which would serve real needs as well as one which would be economically sustainable over time. That is why the government, in consultation with the francophone community, chose to implement what has been dubbed "the Yukon Model.' There are several important elements to this model. The first is based on the notion that certain services are more effectively delivered by a central agency than by replicating services in each department. A second important element of the model is that French language services are delivered directly to francophones in key or priority areas: communications, health, social services, economic development, justice and public safety, as well as in certain fields of education that are not covered under the Canada-Yukon Agreement on Minority-Language Education and Second Official Language Instruction 2005-06 to 2008-09. These priority areas were developed in consultation with the francophone community. Third, the Bureau of French Language Services serves as a "one-stop information office for clients.' For example, if a francophone client contacts the Bureau for information, staff will do one of two things: refer the person to appropriate francophone service providers in a department or, if there are no French-speaking employees in that area, they will contact the appropriate official, obtain the required information and relay that information back to the client. Alternatively, a Bureau staff member can arrange for both the francophone client and the unilingual service provider to link via telephone so that appropriate interpretation services can be provided.

  2. Priorities for the coming year

    One of the main priorities for the coming year will be the establishment of a Directorate, as announced by the Government of Yukon in 2005. This will be done with direct participation of the francophone community. As this is a one-year plan, the territorial government will also be working closely with the francophone community to further develop goals for the following three years of a new Agreement with Canada. The Yukon plans to use the results of the survey that was conducted last spring to help guide its priorities for the coming year and the following three years in a new Agreement.
    Another priority in the coming year will be to promote the French-language services offered throughout the various departments of the territorial government. A major promotion campaign has been planned within the territorial government. This will include:

    1. One-on-one meetings with directors whose branches are within the priority areas.
    2. Developing and offering a section on French-Language Services for the course "Orientation to the Government of the Yukon ', which is offered twice a year for government employees.
    3. Develop a brochure that outlines the various French language services offered by the Bureau of French Language Services. These brochures will be handed out to every new employee to the government. They will also be distributed to every branch across the government.

    The territorial government will also be promoting its French language services to French community at large. To accomplish this goal, the following will be included:

    1. The premier´s community tour. The French community will be one of the stops on the premier´s community tour. This will give the members of the French community a chance to interact directly with the premier and the minister in charge of Francophone Affairs.
    2. An open house with the Association franco-yukonnaise (AFY). The goal will be to include information and displays that highlight all of the services that the government and the community offer. This will be open to all government employees and members of the community.
    3. On-going meetings with AFY to ensure that on-going dialogue with the community re future planning re how to maintain and in some areas improve services to the Yukon francophone community.

  3. Measuring Results

    Several indicators will be used to establish an on-going measure of the effectiveness of the plan.

    1. The premier´s community tour.
    2. The Working Committee; which includes the director of AFY and the director of the Bureau of French Language Services.
    3. Annual meeting of the advisory committee on French language services, which includes representatives from government departments, the community, the Bureau of French Language Services.
    4. Meetings with directors from key sector branches of the government.
    5. Statistics on materials being translated and published.
    6. Increase in the number of government web sites translated and put on line.
    7. Statistics re the number of francophone community members accessing the various services being offered by the government in French.
    8. Satisfaction of the francophone community with services through information gathered from a questionnaire and Premier's tour.

  4. Strategic Objective

    The Yukon Strategic Plan on French Language Services will enable the Government of Yukon to maintain, and in some areas, increase its capacity to support the Yukon francophone community. Through effective collaboration with government departments in the priority areas identified in partnership with the community, this plan strives to maintain and in some areas increase the level of service offered to the francophone community.

  5. Budget

    The contribution from Canadian Heritage for 2005-2006 is $1,350,000.

Objective 1: Strengthen the Policy, Legislative and Administrative Framework

PLANNED ACTIONS/MEASURES 2005/06 EXPECTED RESULTS PERFORMANCE INDICATORS ANNUAL TERRITORIAL AND FEDERAL CONTRIBUTIONS

THE BUREAU OF FRENCH LANGUAGE SERVICES:

  1. Manage the 2005-2006 Canada-Yukon Agreement on French Language Services
  2. Promote use of French in government communications when appropriate.
  3. Develop and monitor an operational partnership on francophone affairs with departments and agencies in priority areas.
  4. Develop a joint communications strategy with AFY. This will be in the form of an open house which will outline French Language services offered by the Bureau of French Language Services and AFY.
  1. The establishment of a Directorate reporting directly to a minister responsible for francophone affairs, whose director will have the fully delegated authorities of a deputy minister.
  2. Increased awareness for government employees and members of the francophone community as to the services offered in French by the Government of Yukon.
  3. Departmental managers are more familiar with the services provided by the Bureau of French Language Services.
  1. Number of services delivered by the various government departments to the Yukon francophone community.
  2. Community satisfaction as indicated by community feedback. Feedback will be obtained through a community meeting with the minister responsible for francophone affairs. This will be part of the premier's community tour; which occurs once a year. The territorial government will also solicit feedback through a questionnaire that will be conducted once a year through the French community.
  3. Level of awareness and understanding of government service delivery process by the Yukon francophone community. Participation levels will be determined through statistics obtained from various government departments and Premier's community tour.
  4. Number of inquiries made to the government for services in French.

BUDGET: Salaries: $547K This includes salaries for 7.2 out of the existing 8.2 positions directly attached to the Bureau. Operational Requirements: $79K Total: $626K


Objective 2: Support Service Development, Planning and Delivery in a Priority Area

PLANNED ACTIONS/MEASURES 2005/06 EXPECTED RESULTS PERFORMANCE INDICATORS ANNUAL TERRITORIAL AND FEDERAL CONTRIBUTIONS

1. Health and Social Services:

  • Support the Department of Health and Social Services in its efforts to maintain and improve health services to the francophone community.
  • Distribute the French Yukon Health Guide to all Yukon francophone families.
  • Continue to provide information and support to parents with pre-schoolers through the Early childhood social worker position

2. Justice:

  • Continue to draft and translate acts, regulations, ministerial orders and orders in council.
  • Provide various court and court-related services to francophones.
  • Deal with inquiries in both civil and criminal matters.

3. Community Services:

  • Continue to offer bilingual services at the inquiry desk.
  • Continue to offer French language services at the Motor Vehicles Branch.
  • Continue to purchase French items for the Whitehorse Public Library.

4. Economic Development:

  • Create positive partnerships between the department of tourism for the Yukon and the tourism branch of the Réseau du développement de l'économie et de l'employabilité (RDÉE) in its initiatives on promoting the Yukon as a francophone destination on national and international francophone markets.
  • Establish partnerships between RDÉE and the various branches of the Department of Economic Development.

5. Bureau of French Language
    Services

  • Deliver useful, usable and used French language services in priority areas identified with the francophone community.
  • Offer translation, interpretation and revision services.
  • Offer web page translations and put them on line.
  • Continue to offer French courses through the territory's French Language Adult Education program.

  1. Co-ordination of the development of department action plans.
  2. Maintain or increase access to services available to the Yukon francophone community.
  3. The Yukon francophone community is actively involved and contributes positively to the well being of our society in general.
  4. The Yukon francophone community has good access to the Justice system in French.
  5. The Yukon francophone community has good access to the services offered by the department of Health and Social Services in French.
  6. The Yukon francophone community has good access to government services for all types of licensing in French.
  7. The Yukon francophone community works with various government departments to develop some parallel services for the French community.
  8. Translation and interpretation services are provided for the government of Yukon.
  9. The bilingual web administrator continues to translate, update and bring more Government sites on line.
  10. The Adult Education branch of the Bureau continues to offer various French Language courses.

  1. Number of committees in place; such as the working committee, the advisory committee and the interdepartmental committee for French language services.
  2. Level of satisfaction of the francophone community with service delivery in French as measured through consultation, client survey, town hall meetings, and the premier's community tour
  3. Number of bilingual government communications aimed at the general public.
  4. Number of official complaints
  5. Wider access in French to government programs in French, as measured from the various government departments that offer direct services to the French community.
  6. Number of government departments collaborating with the francophone community.
  7. Number of inquiries made to departments for services in French.
  8. Level of satisfaction of the francophone community with government communications in French as measured through consultation, client survey, town hall meetings, and the premier's community tour, which includes the francophone community.
  9. Number of translations, interpretations and revision services completed.
  10. Number of government web sites translated and put on line.
  11. Number of government employees registered in the various French language courses offered.

BUDGET:

  1. Health and Social Services
    Salaries: $ 130,000
  2. Justice
    Salaries: $ 351,000
  3. Community Services
    Salaries: $ 47,000
  4. Other Departments
    Salaries: $ 66,000

Total Salaries for government departments: $594K


Total Services for government departments: $130K


Total: $724K

Note: Salaries for web administrator/translator and the three translators included in the budget for the Bureau of French Language Services

The Adult French Language Training Centre budget is covered by Yukon


Objective 3: Ensure Formal Communication and Consultation with the Francophone Community

PLANNED ACTIONS/MEASURES 2005/06 EXPECTED RESULTS PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
  1. Promote the francophone community's efforts to become economically independent.
  2. Communicate with francophones in French and consult with the francophone community through formal and informal means.
  1. The maintenance of the interdepartmental, community advisory and working committees
  2. Communications with the public are in French and English.
  3. The francophone community is consulted and the government communicates with francophones in French.
  4. Increased access to services available to the francophone community.
  5. Increased awareness for government employees as to the services offered by the Bureau of French Language Services
  6. Increased awareness for the francophone community as to the services offered by the Government of Yukon.
  1. Number of committees in place; such as the working committee, the community advisory committee, and the interdepartmental committee for French language services.
  2. Number of official complaints.
  3. Francophone businesses are better informed and have better tools.
  4. More government employees are aware of the services offered by the Bureau of French Language Services.
  5. More members of the francophone community are aware of the services offered by the Government of Yukon.

Services - yukon

  • Agreement -Canada Yukon Agreement on the Development, Enhancement and Implementation of
    French Language Rights and Services 2005-2006
  • Schedule A - Administrative Procedures and Conditions
  • Schedule B - Yukon Strategic Plan on French Language Services 2005-2006
  • Schedule C - Model certified - final report on outputs and actual expenditures for 2005-2006