Be an official languages champion

Everyone can be an official languages champion or advocate. There are numerous actions you can take during your day-to-day activities and with your team to help advance Canada’s official languages.

For example, you can integrate in your daily routine the habit of communicating with your colleagues who are bilingual in your own official language. Not only will it allow your colleague to practice the language of their choice, but it also gives everyone the chance to improve their competency in their second language. When you have the opportunity, use your second language to practice regularly.

Make sure to use both official languages in your communications:

• Make documents and verbal messages such as voicemail greetings for the general public available in both official languages
• Ensure websites and social media accounts are available in English and French
• Actively use both English and French when addressing your colleagues

Appreciating the journey and helping others

Promote the appreciation of linguistic duality and strengthen relations between Canadians from both linguistic groups:

• Share any challenges and experiences you had when learning your second official language
• Create opportunities for you and your colleague to use your second official language at work
• Encourage others to write or converse in the lesser-used official language at work
• Integrate both languages in daily routines: Sometimes gentle encouragement is enough to get over fears or frustrations
• Find creative ways to include both languages in your team’s daily routines by:
  • alternating the language spoken during meetings
  • sponsoring regular second language days
  • use coffee breaks and social time as opportunities for informal practice
• Encourage second-language learners to ask their colleagues to help them practice
  • Normalize mistakes as part of the learning process.

Supporting interpretation and translation

Support and encourage participation in both official languages at public events (e.g., bring in a bilingual emcee and/or speakers who can deliver remarks in both official languages, or consider simultaneous interpretation for large and important events), and increase the number of documents that are available in both official languages.

Promoting bilingual services

Encourage your colleagues to provide services in English and in French and to share their best practices.

Budgeting for it

Make sure you include in your budget funds for translation of public-facing documents and for interpretation services when needed.

Date modified:

2024-01-30