+ Tourism, Culture and Sport
Letter of Transmittal It is my pleasure to present the ninth report of the Advisory Committee on Francophone Affairs following our meeting of May 23, 2013 in Regina. While examining the theme of Tourism, Culture and Sport, the committee had the opportunity to meet with officials from the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport, the Provincial Capital Commission, the Saskatchewan Arts Board and Saskatchewan Tourism. We also met with members of the following Francophone organisations: Conseil culturel fransaskois, Conseil de la coopération de la Saskatchewan, La Troupe du Jour, Les Éditions de la nouvelle plume, Société historique de la Saskatchewan, the Association jeunesse fransaskoise, and the Assemblée communautaire fransaskoise. The arts play an important role in Fransaskois culture. The continued development and growth of artists in the province is key to sharing the language and culture of Francophones with the province as a whole. Tourism also allows the Francophone community an opportunity to share its culture and promote its history, as well as products and services which supports the growth and prosperity of Saskatchewan. Sports are another way for the Francophone community to express itself. It is the committee s goal that the recommendations made below will enhance the positive relationships currently in place between artists, organizations and the government entities. By providing continued and improved supports for services in French, the needs of French-speaking citizens and all citizens will be met. On behalf of members of our committee, I am pleased to present to you our recommendations in support of access to services in French in the areas of tourism, culture and sport. Sincerely, René Carpentier Chair of the Advisory Committee
Executive Summary The value-added aspect of tourism, culture and sport in Saskatchewan contributes to our province being a great place to visit, live, work and raise a family. The Francophone community places great value on the arts, sports and tourism as a way of sharing their culture with others and contributing to a dynamic life in Saskatchewan. The committee believes it is possible to develop strategic and responsible services in French in these areas to support the Francophone community and improve overall offerings of the province. Recommendations 1. That the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport, the Saskatchewan Arts Board and Tourism Saskatchewan incorporate the French-language Services Policy in their respective strategic plans, as should all ministries. 2. That the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport increase access to Frenchlanguage information and support. 3. That the Saskatchewan Arts Board collaborate with Francophone Affairs and the Francophone community to determine the potential for renewal of the Portail culturel fransaskois. 4. That the recently created agency Creative Saskatchewan include Francophone representation on the Board of Directors, by inviting a representative from the Conseil culturel fransaskois to participate. 5. That the Francophone Affairs Branch explore the potential for an agreement with the Government of Quebec to promote cultural exchanges between Francophone artists from Saskatchewan and Quebec. 6. That Tourism Saskatchewan work collaboratively with the Conseil de la coopération de la Saskatchewan to: a) promote Saskatchewan to Francophone tourism markets; and, b) better meet the needs of Francophone tourists from Canada and abroad. 3
7. That the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport engage in a dialogue with the Conseil de la coopération de la Saskatchewan and the Assemblée communautaire fransaskoise to determine the best way to promote access to services in French in provincial parks and historic sites. This dialogue should include discussions regarding improved signage indicating the existence of Francophone communities for the benefit of visitors to our province. 8. That the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport identify employees capable of providing French language services. 9. That the Saskatchewan Archives Board consider the designation of a bilingual archivist position to handle archival of French material. Committee Mandate To advise the Provincial Secretary in his role as Minister responsible for Francophone Affairs by reviewing and analyzing programs and policies related to the implementation of Saskatchewan s French-language Services Policy. Meeting Objective The objective of the 12 th meeting of the committee was to review what services are currently being provided in French in Saskatchewan in the areas of tourism, culture and sport and to discuss options to improve and increase the level of service offered in French. These sectors have been, and continue to be, good vehicles for the Francophone community to express their culture and their language while being effective contributors to Saskatchewan society as we know it today. With a significant number of newcomers, including young families choosing Saskatchewan as their new home to live, work and play, the committee saw an opportunity to review the mandate and actions of government ministries and agencies involved in the arts, sport and tourism sectors and to identify opportunities to build on the positive relationships that have flourished with Francophone organizations over the years. 4
Organization of responsibilities for tourism, culture and sport in Saskatchewan In Saskatchewan, there are numerous entities responsible for providing support in the areas of tourism, culture and sport. These include the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport, as well as the Saskatchewan Arts Board, Saskatchewan Archives Board, and the arms length organizations of SaskCulture, SaskSport and Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Board. The aforementioned CBOs receive money from SaskGaming, which is then made accessible to numerous cultural, sporting and artistic groups in the province. As parks and sport fall under the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport responsibility, and contribute to the cultural dynamics of the community, the committee members recognized that it was necessary to include these areas in the discussion. Tourism Saskatchewan, a Crown Corporation since July 2012, also plays an important role in marketing the province as a tourist destination and assisting tourism operators with marketing. Its work in developing a major events strategy for the province and developing supports such as training and education in the industry enhances the province s ability to attract visitors. In the Francophone community, the key provincial organizations include the Conseil culturel fransaskois, which supports the promotion of arts and culture, and the Conseil de la coopération de la Saskatchewan, which plays a role in promotion and resources for Francophone tourism. The Saskatoon-based La Troupe du Jour theatre company, the Société historique de la Saskatchewan and Les Éditions de La Nouvelle Plume, all contribute to the distribution of culture and arts in the province. Current Situation Saskatchewan s Francophone community plays an active and culturally significant role in the promotion of sports, culture and tourism in Saskatchewan. In taking time to explore what services are currently in place to support the vibrant and active group of French-speaking artists, performers and tourist attractions, the committee was pleased to hear from all players that the current relationship with several government organizations working in these areas is quite positive overall. During discussions, committee members were made aware of the bilingual programming at Government House, with bilingual guides and panels throughout Government House. The Société historique de la Saskatchewan also recently collaborated with Government House to produce short vignettes depicting life in Saskatchewan in the past. The performances were presented to the public over the summer, in English and in French. 5
The Saskatchewan Arts Board (SAB) provided access to French-language services via the now completed Portail culturel fransaskois. This project brought the SAB to convene, for the first time in Saskatchewan, a French-language jury to evaluate submissions from Francophone artists. SAB also has in place a mechanism to accept applications and support material submitted in French from applying Francophone artists. Tourism Saskatchewan has a positive working relationship with the Conseil de la coopération de la Saskatchewan, which also works to promote Francophone tourism in the province. In the past, Tourism Saskatchewan has provided resources in both official languages, as well as marketing support. Recently the Service Best training program was translated to French and is now available on demand. Service Best was created to support the development of strong customer service skills in the service industry in Saskatchewan. Service in French is available for those who contact the Tourism Saskatchewan info centre, as well as in several of the regional visitor centres during the summer months. The Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport published the 2013 Saskatchewan Provincial Parks Guide in French for the first time. This is considered to be a positive addition to the resources available to French-speaking citizens and tourists. The Government of Saskatchewan hosts numerous events that showcase talented performers representing the cultural diversity of our province. In the past, events hosted by the province have included the participation of Francophone performers, such as at the Council of the Federation meeting in 2009, the Governor General Farewell Tour in 2010 and the Centennial of the Legislative Assembly in 2012. The committee commends the government on its proactive inclusion of Francophone performers and suggests that official celebrations hosted by the Government of Saskatchewan continue to include Francophone performers. 6
Building on current resources and relations As noted above, there is good work being done by the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport, as well as its partner organizations in providing French-language services. The believes that incremental changes would allow the government to accomplish more in the area of French-language services using existing resources and building on the positive relations in place. One example of a change requiring little incremental effort, yet providing meaningful results, is to incorporate the French-language services policy (FLSP) into ministry and agency strategic planning. The FLSP aims to guide ministries, crowns and agencies in providing services to French-speaking citizens. None of the governmental organizations that met with the committee currently incorporate the FLSP into their strategic planning. The Advisory Committee feels that it would be advisable for ministries and agencies to do so. In concrete terms, incorporating the FLSP into strategic planning would mean looking at opportunities to deliver French-language services as one element to consider when developing ministry or agency plans. Incorporating the FLSP in strategic plans would raise the awareness of the policy among ministry or agency staff and third party agencies. In spite of the good work currently being done, it appeared to the committee that the awareness of the FLSP is low. Increased awareness may lead staff to identify additional opportunities to offer French-language services or better ways to deliver them. Incorporating the FLSP in strategic plans would ensure alignment between French-language services and ministry/agency priorities. This would ensure that efforts at delivering French-language services support overall priorities and strategies. The Advisory Committee believes this would be more effective and efficient than the current ad hoc approach to French-language services. Recommendation 1 That the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport, the Saskatchewan Arts Board and Tourism Saskatchewan incorporate the French-language Services Policy in their respective strategic plans, as should all ministries. 7
The inclusion of the policy in its strategic planning, the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport would allow the ministry to take a lead in identifying the added value of French-language services throughout the province. This would mean that when planning new programs, or revising existing programs and services, there would be consideration given to how the program might be offered in French. The delivery of a program in French does not mean that an entire bilingual service has to be created. It may simply mean that specific documents (e.g. guides, forms, brochures) are made available in French to support the program. For instance, one of the Ministry s goals is to Sustain and support the province s growing economy through the promotion of strong families and active living 1. The committee recommends that Francophones have access to documents in French, such as the Active Family Benefits information. Providing this information in French would be a positive addition to the resources currently available. Current residents, as well as the growing number of French-speaking newcomers, would profit as this benefit applies to all residents with children under the age of 18. As the province aims to support active living and strong families, this resource is beneficial. Recommendation 2 That the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport increase access to Frenchlanguage information and support. The committee heard from the community that organizing sporting events which meet the requirements for a sanctioned event can be at times a difficult task. There are a variety of reasons that create the challenge for sanctioning sporting activities, which include lack of qualified officials to provide services, limited number of athletes to participate or inability to meet standards of equipment or field measurements, etc. In Saskatchewan, sport sanctioning is done by the sport governing body for each sport, such as SaskAthletics for track and field events. These organizations are supported indirectly by the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport, through funding provided by SaskSport and support is available to the Francophone community as would be available to other organizations. The committee would encourage community organizations who want their sporting events to be officially sanctioned to work with SaskSport. 1 Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport, Plan for 2013 14 8
Culture In 2011-2012, the Saskatchewan Arts Board (SAB) managed a program called Portail culturel fransaskois. This program was cost-shared with the federal government with funds received through the Canada-Saskatchewan Agreement on Francophone Affairs (managed by the Francophone Affairs Branch). One of the goals of this program was to strengthen the capacity of artists to compete in regular programming avenues. By offering a dedicated envelope of funds to Francophone artists and supporting the submission of applications and reference material in French, applicants were able to learn and improve their skills in navigating the application process. By all accounts, this program was a success. It provided more than $579,925 in grants to 31 individuals and 12 organizations in the province. The Portail also saw the SAB work closely with the Conseil culturel fransaskois to identify how to best support Francophone artists. The increase in the number of presentations and performances was felt throughout the community and Francophone artists were afforded exposure both within and outside of the province. The two year Portail culturel Fransaskois project funding expired on March 31, 2013. Both the SAB and the Francophone community expressed their satisfaction with the program s implementation and the results achieved throughout the province. The committee feels this is an area where further evaluation and discussion should take place. Suggestions made by the committee members include evaluating the potential for partnership directly with a community organization, such as the Conseil culturel fransaskois, who might also contribute funds to a new project of this type. Recommendation 3 That the Saskatchewan Arts Board collaborate with Francophone Affairs and the Francophone community to determine the potential for renewal of the Portail culturel fransaskois. During discussions with the Saskatchewan Arts Board and community representatives, mention was made of the recently created agency Creative Saskatchewan. This new agency, created to assist in marketing the work of Saskatchewan creative industries, will play a key supporting role in sharing and promoting the arts both within our province and beyond. This agency is expected to assist a variety of artists in the music, film, digital media, visual arts, crafts, publishing and the performing arts industries. According to the Minister of Parks, Culture and Sport, Our vision for Creative Saskatchewan is that it helps 9
Saskatchewan s creative industries to become commercially strong, marketready and appreciated both nationally and internationally. 2 As Saskatchewan continues to build momentum on the world stage, the province will benefit from using the resources on the ground to support its international appeal. The world is a multilingual place, and Canada is viewed on the international stage as a bilingual country. French-language artists, musicians, authors and performers who reside in Saskatchewan would benefit from marketing representation, but would also contribute international flavor to the offerings of the province. An important resource that currently serves the Francophone cultural community is the Conseil culturel fransaskois (CCF). This organization, established in 1974, is mandated to be the voice of Fransaskois on all matters of cultural and artistic needs and aspirations (as well as work to) strengthen the capacity and leadership in artists participation across the province. 3 In achieving their mandate, the work they do includes develop[ment] of programming, policies, and activities that will allow the Fransaskois community to achieve its cultural and creative potential thereby increasing its economic viability. 4 As the mandate and work done by the CCF aligns well with the role of Creative Saskatchewan, the committee believes that a representative from the CCF would be an important addition to the board of Creative Saskatchewan. With knowledge of the artists from the Francophone community as well as experience in marketing artistic endeavors both in and out of province, this representative would be an effective asset to the board in the development of future direction for the creative arts in Saskatchewan. Recommendation 4 That the recently created agency Creative Saskatchewan include Francophone representation on the Board of Directors, by inviting a representative from the Conseil culturel fransaskois to participate. 2 Creative Saskatchewan Closer to Growing the Province s Creative Economy, News Release, March 26, 2013 3 http://www.culturel.sk.ca/english/about us/ Mandate 4 http://www.culturel.sk.ca/english/about us/ What we do 10
Capacity building is one of the goals of cultural programs. One way that may provide new opportunities to local artists would be to enter into an agreement with other provinces to promote reciprocal cultural exchanges for citizens of their province and ours. Currently there exists such an agreement between the provinces of Quebec and Manitoba, Quebec and Ontario, as well as between Quebec and New Brunswick. These programs allow artists of varying mediums to receive financial support while practicing and sharing their craft in a neighboring province. This opportunity expands their ability to reach a larger audience and garner additional experience and the potential for increased success. This exchange provides important value to the artist in his professional life, but also encourages a greater understanding of the host province and increased partnerships between organizations and artists. 5 The committee suggests that such a cultural exchange program may be beneficial to local artists to support their capacity to market their products and services and to collaborate with other organizations, all while expanding their creative potential. Recommendation 5 That the Francophone Affairs Branch explore the potential for an agreement with the Government of Quebec to promote cultural exchanges between Francophone artists from Saskatchewan and Quebec. Tourism French-speaking citizens bring to our province a value-added ability to communicate and encourage relations and business with other French-speaking people from across Canada and the world. In the effort to build their community and ensure its vitality and growth, the Francophone community works diligently to attract new people to visit and to relocate to Saskatchewan. As a well-organized and established group with similar objectives, the Francophone community could also be a valuable partner for Tourism Saskatchewan in their quest to promote the province on a national and international level. Francophone tourism markets go beyond Quebec and France: 29 countries have French as one of their official languages and approximately 200 million people speak French in the world. The promotion of access to information in French would allow the Francophone community and Tourism Saskatchewan to promote our province to these potential visitors. 5 New Brunswick/Quebec Cultural Cooperation Grant Program Guidelines, Feb 2013 11
The Conseil de la Coopération de la Saskatchewan (CCS) is the provincial Francophone organization that works to promote tourism in Saskatchewan. The economic development of the Francophone community is supported by the growth and continued development of tourism in Saskatchewan. For this reason the CCS provides support to Francophone organizations and businesses that wish to develop and promote tourism opportunities and products. They also work to create partnerships between private and community stakeholders to strengthen English and French tourism development in the province 6. Some of the accomplishments of the CCS to date include yearly participation in the tourism fair in Quebec, publication of French-language tourist brochures and the promotion of tours visiting Francophone sites in the province, among other major tourist attractions 7. Currently, the CCS works with Tourism Saskatchewan on projects of interest. With a mutually beneficial goal of increasing and supporting tourism in Saskatchewan, the two organizations should continue to collaborate. This work could include efforts to promote general information on tourism in the province, in both English and French. It could also include support for the work done by the CCS, to ensure that publications are made available to all visitors in tourist centres and through the Tourism Saskatchewan website. Moving the current relationship between Tourism Saskatchewan and the CCS to the next level would benefit both organizations in their goal to support the economic development of the province through tourism. In working together, each other s efforts will support the achievement of the ultimate goal to increase the number of visitors to our province and showcase all the wonders we have to offer. Recommendation 6 That Tourism Saskatchewan work collaboratively with the Conseil de la coopération de la Saskatchewan to: a) promote Saskatchewan to Francophone tourism markets; and, b) better meet the needs of Francophone tourists from Canada and abroad. 6 http://www.ccs sk.ca/entreprise/tourisme n41.html Mandate 7 http://www.ccs sk.ca/opfichier/circuit historique n8zfmrmkr6mn 15651.pdf http://www.ccs sk.ca/opfichier/circuit vr N4yBFltFsi71 15650.pdf 12
In showcasing the province s natural beauty, sites of interest and people, it is important to recognize and utilize the assets which currently exist in the province. The Francophone community, one of these assets, offers access to bilingual services and contributes to the international perspective of our province. The committee members have heard from citizens that when visitors from outside the province and country arrive, there is often an expectation to see signs of bilingualism in Canada. Upon arriving in Saskatchewan, these visitors are disappointed when they do not see such signs nor have access to some level of bilingual services. In the National Parks of Saskatchewan, Prince Albert and Grasslands, services and information are available in French. However, in the provincial parks and historic sites across the province, there is little opportunity to obtain services or information in French. These provincial and regional parks, as well as historic parks and sites, are part of the tourism experience in Saskatchewan. According to community members, there are local resources that exist which would allow for service in French in parks and historic sites that are located near Francophone communities. For example, near the historic sites of St. Victor and Fort Carlton, there are people prepared to showcase these venues and promote visitation with services in French. If such a service were available, it is important that it be promoted to visitors so that they can plan their trip and know what to expect upon arrival. If tourists know that service in French is available in a particular community, they may be more inclined to visit, or to stay longer. This approach of active offer of services reflects the intent of the FLS policy where the availability of services is made known to the public. These communities and citizens in the vicinity of tourist destinations such as parks and historic sites would benefit from the support of the government in the form of signage and additional supports such as tourist information in French. Recommendation 7 That the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport engage in a dialogue with the Conseil de la coopération de la Saskatchewan and the Assemblée communautaire fransaskoise to determine the best way to promote access to services in French in provincial parks and historic sites. This dialogue should include discussions regarding improved signage indicating the existence of Francophone communities for the benefit of visitors to our province. 13
As stated in the introduction of this report, there are a number of entities in the province that provide support to the areas of tourism, sports and culture. Some of these entities currently have the capacity to provide service in French, such as Tourism Saskatchewan. A search in the Government Directory for the term bilingual will allow an individual to locate a bilingual employee in ministries when these positions are designated bilingual. The Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport has employees who have the capacity to provide service in French. These employees, however, are not identified as bilingual. Therefore, it is not easy to access services in French from the ministry when required. The committee would like to see the ministry develop a formal list of employees who are capable of providing services in French. This would allow the community organizations to know who they can contact to access Frenchlanguage services when required. This action would also demonstrate an understanding of the need for French-language services. Individuals identified as French-speaking will add to the list of currently available resources at no additional cost. Recommendation 8 That the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport identify employees capable of providing French language services. It is important to ensure services are in place to support the growth and development of Saskatchewan and aim to provide services to the actual population. At the same time, we must work to guard the information of the past. The history of our province shares a story of where we have come from and the Saskatchewan Archives Board is tasked with managing the storage of many documents that support this history. In the past, the Saskatchewan Archives Board employed a Francophone archivist. In the late 1970 s and early 1980 s, a special project took place where the archivist travelled across the province and collected material from Francophone communities. These same documents were later archived and a publication of collated works was released. Since the departure of the Francophone archivist, there is no longer a capacity within Saskatchewan to archive French documents. 8 Records are still submitted to the Saskatchewan Archives Board, but currently there is no individual on staff who has the capacity to process them. 8 Tim Novak, Archivist, Reference Services Unit, August 2013 14
The Francophone community and committee members have asked how the current documents will be handled considering the lack of expertise to handle Francophone documents. The committee therefore suggests that some consideration be made to address this lack of resources within the Saskatchewan Archives Board. Recommendation 9 That the Saskatchewan Archives Board consider the designation of a bilingual archivist position to handle archival of French material. 15
Conclusion The Francophone community has been present and active in our province for more than 100 years and continues to contribute to our province in many areas of activities including the sectors of the arts, culture and tourism. Its contributions have generated a wealth of talent and expertise contributing to the high quality of cultural events and presentations produced and presented in our province. La Troupe du Jour is a telling example of this contribution. Through its network of organizations across the province, the Francophone community has expressed to the committee its will and its interest to continue to work with partners such as the Saskatchewan Arts Board, Tourism Saskatchewan and PCS, and to strengthen working collaborations with them. As Saskatchewan is opening its borders to the world and becoming a global destination, members of the committee see opportunities for our province to capitalize on the added value the Francophone community brings to the economical, social and cultural development of Saskatchewan. The Committee believes it is possible to develop services in French in a strategic and responsible manner by: Strengthening the existent relationship between key partners such as the Saskatchewan Arts Board, Tourism Saskatchewan and the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport and by including a specific target to achieve in their respective strategic planning; Maximizing the use of existing resources such as the provincial government s translation services and by better identifying civil servants capable of offering services in French; Working jointly with the Saskatchewan Arts Board and the Francophone Affairs Branch to determine to determine the potential for renewal of the Portail culturel fransaskois. 16
ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON FRANCOPHONE AFFAIRS LIST OF MEMBERS René Carpentier, Chair Mr. Carpentier, an entrepreneur, is executive partner of a Saskatchewan consulting and projects management group in Regina. For many years he has worked within Francophone regional and provincial organisations including the Conseil de la coopération de la Saskatchewan. Mr. Carpentier assumes the role of Chair of the Advisory Committee for the first term. Françoise Sigur-Cloutier, ex-officio Originally from France and established in Saskatchewan for more than twenty years, Ms. Sigur-Cloutier has worked within the Francophone community both at the provincial and national levels. Having completed postsecondary studies in philosophy and education, she has also studied in the area of administration. Ms. Sigur-Cloutier worked as director of communications for Radio-Canada and is presently employed as a consultant. Ms Sigur-Cloutier is president of the Assemblée communautaire fransaskoise. Laurette Lefol Ms. Lefol, was born and raised in Saskatchewan and is active in her community of Saskatoon. Holding a Certified Management Accountant designation, Ms. Lefol has also developed human resources and leadership skills and is well known in the non-profit organisation sectors. David Lawlor Musician, composer and master in sound arrangements and the use of multimedia, Mr. David Lawlor is well known on the cultural scene, provincially, nationally and even internationally. Mr. Lawlor is an instructor of French as a Second-Language at the University of Regina and is especially interested in the development and teaching of courses by Internet. Jean Nepo Murwanashyaka Mr. Jean Nepo Murwanashyaka has lived in several countries and regions of Canada before settling in Saskatoon. Working with a firm of engineers in the mining sector, he has developed knowledge and expertise in project management, process engineering and problem analysis. Mr. Murwanashyaka is also very active among the French-speaking African population of Saskatoon. 17
André Nogue Mr. Nogue, with roots in rural Saskatchewan, made his career in the federal civil service which has allowed him to develop a solid expertise in management of official languages programs. He is very familiar with the Fransaskois community, its needs and its challenges. Presently retired, Mr. Nogue lives in Regina. Guylaine Patenaude Ms. Guylaine Patenaude, from Manitoba, at a very early age became Fransaskoise by adoption. She has been involved for more than 10 years in l Association jeunesse fransaskoise youth organization and just recently received her certification in the coordination of special events. In 2010 Guylaine was awarded the prix Jeune femme remarquable du Canada by l Alliance des femmes de la francophonie canadienne. Joanne Perreault Ms. Joanne Perreault has worked for more than 20 years with the Assemblée communautaire fransaskoise (ACF) 10 years of which she was deputy director. In 1988 she was part of the community development team sector at the time of the signing of the first Canada-Fransaskois Community Agreement. Living in Hoey, Ms. Perreault, is self-employed providing consultation and coordination services, and continues to be involved with the Fransaskois community. 18