Publication of the Official Languages Action Plan

May 4, 2023 - Defence Stories

It's done! The Official Languages Action Plan 2023-2028 (OLAP) (accessible only on the National Defence network) has been published, under the authority of the Deputy Minister of National Defence and the Chief of the Defence Staff, and will come into effect on April 1, 2023.

Developed by the Director Official Languages, the OLAP aims to promote a sustainable culture of respect for individual official languages (OL) rights within the Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), while maximizing the OL program's compliance with Canada's Official Languages Act (OLA) and the Treasury Board OL Policy and Directives.

OLAP activities embody the broad themes of the Official Languages Strategy for the DND/CAF. The motto “It's a matter of respect” encourages all Defence Team members to respect the language rights of everyone in the organization.

To better promote language rights within the Defence Team, the OLAP has been developed according to four main priorities:

• the evolution of language inclusion and the promotion of bilingualism as an important part of our organizational culture;
• the availability of resources outlining the rights and responsibilities of personnel in general and supervisors in particular;
• the development of an OL training program to promote a better understanding of the policies and tools available; and
• the development of a communication plan to better inform and sensitize the Defence Team on the desired OL culture change.

However, the success of the initiatives and measures that will be put in place by this five-year OLAP will depend directly on the commitment of all L1s to improving OLA compliance, at the operational as well as tactical levels, within their respective organizations. Leadership commitment is thus critical to both the successful implementation of the OLAP and sustainable culture change within the organization.