Translation Bureau: Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates—May 29, 2023
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Translation Bureau staff and freelance interpreters
Context
Public Services and Procurement Canada’s (PSPC) Translation Bureau continues to work with the House administration, Senate administration and all partners to support Parliament’s hybrid sittings while ensuring the health and safety of its interpreters.
The current contract for the provision of interpretation services to PSPC’s Translation Bureau expires on June 30, 2023. Consultations for the next contract are underway. For staff interpreters, the collective bargaining process is ongoing.
Suggested response
Health and safety:
- The Translation Bureau is committed to providing high quality interpretation services in support of Parliament and federal government departments and agencies while ensuring a safe environment for staff and freelance interpreters
- The Bureau has put in place a number of measures to safeguard interpreters in collaboration with its parliamentary partners
- It has worked in collaboration with both House and Senate administrations to put in place the directions issued by Employment and Social Development Canada’s Labour Program on February 1, 2023–these directions are in line with the work the Bureau is already doing with the administrations to improve sound quality
- Sound quality continues to improve thanks to the sustained efforts of the Bureau and its parliamentary partners
On the directions issued to the Bureau by Employment and Social Development Canada’s Labour Program on February 1, 2023:
- PSPC’s Translation Bureau acknowledges that the last few years have been difficult for interpreters, both physically and mentally
- With the help of its partners, including the Senate Administration and the House of Commons Administration which are responsible for the technical requirements of the audio system, the Translation Bureau has taken measures to protect interpreters
- The Bureau’s response to the directive on the use of International Standards Organization (ISO) compliant microphones in Parliament was accepted, the measures have been implemented and the file is closed
- The second directive is on sound testing of committee rooms in Parliament and these tests have been completed. Experts are analyzing the outcomes and we are expecting recommendations in the near future
Building capacity:
- The Translation Bureau is committed to providing quality linguistic services in support of Parliament, and to increasing its interpretation capacity while protecting the health and safety of its interpreters
- Serving Parliament is a priority and the Bureau works in close collaboration with parliamentary partners to support hybrid sittings, to deliver services to committees and plan for future demand
- We are consulting with the Canadian interpreter community on the clauses for the next contracts for freelance interpreters, and hybrid Parliament and interpreter health and safety are key parts of that discussion
- The Translation Bureau is engaging with stakeholders in Canada’s language sector, including academic community groups and professional associations, to find ways to encourage a new generation of accredited interpreters and possibly implement new interpretation programs
If pressed on the next freelance interpreters’ contract:
- The Bureau is consulting proactively with the interpreter community–including the International Association of Conference Interpreters–regarding the next contract, and taking their feedback into account. No final decision has been made
- The development of the next contract will take into account the need to be responsive to the unique requirements of Parliament
- The current proposed contract would build in elements of choice for the freelancers regarding hours worked. This would potentially increase the Bureau’s capacity for in-person meetings and better support Parliament
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