NR–07.007 - February 27, 2007
OTTAWA - Today, Gordon O'Connor, the Minister of National Defence, accompanied by General Rick Hillier, the Chief of the Defence Staff, appeared at the Standing Committee on Official Languages following a request by the Committee.
Minister O'Connor outlined the Department of Defence's new Official Languages Transformation Model. “During the last decade, the previous Liberal government never addressed the problems inherent to the previous universal approach to official languages within the Department of Defence. The Official Languages Transformation Model brings a new, more focused approach to bilingualism, which better takes into account the unique and distinct operational structure of the Canadian Forces. For example, senior officers will be held up to a much higher standard than in the past,” explained the Minister. “And the Model is in keeping with Canada's New Government's commitment to strongly defending our linguistic duality.”
“The goal of the Model is to ensure that National Defence personnel are led, trained, and supported in their official language of choice, thus better meeting the Department's legal obligations under the Official Languages Act. This will include requiring senior officers to be bilingual, when they are serving in units or functions designated as bilingual,” the Minister added.
The Official Languages Transformation Model will improve on existing policies in three important ways. It will ensure that linguistically qualified personnel are provided in the right place and at the right time. It will also ensure that defence team members are fully aware of their official language rights and obligations. Lastly, it will accurately monitor the institutions' ability to meet the requirements of the Official Languages Act. This Model will come into effect in April.
The Department of National Defence sends more of its military personnel on Second Language Training every year and spends more on its Second Language Training than any other federal institution. In the 2005-06 fiscal year, the Canadian Forces invested $24.39 million dollars in Second Language Training, benefiting 2,578 CF members.
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Contact:
Isabelle Bouchard,
Director of Communications,
Office of the Honourable Gordon O’Connor,
Minister of National Defence
613-996-3100
