Official Languages committee  We let them know that we need bilingual candidates. We do that as part of what I call promotion, raising awareness and providing information to potential candidates.

Official Languages committee  It is the departments' responsibility, not ours, to make sure that they are capable of providing the service in both official languages. The Public Service Agency itself is responsible for monitoring to determine the extent to which the departments are in compliance.

Official Languages committee  That is what we did during the first phase of the Action Plan. Under what we described as an awareness program, we went into schools, universities and colleges and gave presentations about the language requirements, bilingualism in the federal government, and how to access it. One of the things involved was making students aware of the importance of bilingualism, of acquiring and being proficient in a second language.

Official Languages committee  We are doing some outreach in that direction, for example with the Université Sainte-Anne. We need bilingual administrative personnel, and that university provides bilingual education. We are setting up an initial work-study program, the first co-op program. We are going to facilitate access to the public service for these people by letting the departments know that there is a pool of bilingual candidates there who have taken their degree in a work-study program, and that they would be good candidates for the federal public service.

Official Languages committee  On the first part of the question, I am not in a position to tell you the success rate for candidates who receive training for the number of weeks allowed for attaining the level required. That is a question of individual performance. On the question of meeting the two year limit, my colleague can give you figures regarding the exclusion orders granted.

Official Languages committee  We will note the question, Mr. Chair, and we will decide how best to reply to it. Part of the question relates to the school and the success of language training, while the other part relates to exclusion orders.

Official Languages committee  We are the...

Official Languages committee  We are responsible for the Public Service Employment Act. Under the new Act, the power to appoint is delegated to departments, deputy ministers and heads of agencies.

Official Languages committee  The departments are responsible for the recruiting process. We provide them with support for that purpose. The new Act gives them the choice of using the services of the Commission or doing their own recruiting. They may well ask the Commission to help them administer the process, the inventory, and so on.

Official Languages committee  Each manager determines what language training is required and who has access to it, but it is the school that is responsible for the public service as a whole.

Official Languages committee  I am going to ask Mr. Poznanski to explain how the Order works, which will answer the question to a large extent.

Official Languages committee  Ultimately, the employee has to be transferred to a position for which he or she has the qualifications and meets the required merit criteria and qualifications.

Official Languages committee  The School of Public Service is responsible for the assessment. Ordinarily, when an employee is to be given language training, he or she must get an assessment to determine the kind of training required and the time it will take. It is then up to the employee's manager to decide what mechanisms will be used to provide the training.

Official Languages committee  We hope to complete it in the spring.

Official Languages committee  I am not aware of whether there will be a breach of continuity in terms of our activities, awareness activities.