Collaboration Accord between Canadian Heritage and the Acadian and Francophone Community Sector of Nova Scotia

Parties have signed the attached copy of the Collaboration Accord in its French version. The translated version of the Accord is for information only and does not bind the parties.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

The Government of Canada and the Acadian and Francophone community sector of Nova Scotia have a long history of working together for the common good of French-speaking Canadians living in Nova Scotia. We share a commitment to improving the quality of life of our fellow citizens and to fostering the development of vibrant, healthy communities. The presence of official-language minority communities contributes to the improvement of quality of life for all Canadians. Our relationship is built on a foundation of trust and mutual respect.

The Government of Canada has undertaken, via the Official Languages Act, to enhance the vitality of linguistic minority communities in Canada (Anglophones in Quebec and Francophones outside Quebec), to assist their development and to promote the full recognition and use of both official languages in Canadian society.

This Collaboration Accord between Canadian Heritage and the Acadian and Francophone Community Sector of Nova Scotia mirrors the accord signed in December 2001 by the Prime Minister and representatives of Canada's voluntary sector. (Accord between the Government of Canada and the Voluntary Sector).


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Context

The relationship between the Government of Canada and the official-language minority communities has generated significant progress since 1970. Over the two cycles of Canada-Community Agreements from 1994 to 2004, new organizations have emerged and institutional networks have grown stronger.

The Action Plan for Official Languages adopted in March 2003 reaffirms the Government of Canada's commitment to linguistic duality. The Action Plan creates a horizontal accountability and coordination framework to report to Canadians on the results achieved in three main areas: an exemplary public service, education, and the development of official-language minority communities. The framework applies to all federal institutions. In addition, 10 departments and agencies receive funding under the Action Plan. Within both government and the communities themselves, community development architects and partners have grown more numerous and more diverse.

Since 1994, Nova Scotia's Acadian and Francophone community has had a structure that is conducive to the autonomy of provincial and regional groups, enabling them to better respond to the different realities of each region and each target client. Furthermore, the Acadian Provincial School Board was established in 1996, and it now administers 19 French-language schools serving more than 4,000 students.

The 2004 World Acadian Congress was a turning point for Nova Scotia's Acadian and Francophone community. The Congress gave the Acadian communities an unparalleled level of pride in their culture and language. The high level of cooperation and collaboration throughout the Congress generated many partnerships, which in turn will lead to new projects for the future.

In December 2004, the province of Nova Scotia enacted the French-language Services Act. The provincial government must now implement the Act to ensure that services in French meet the needs and priorities of the Nova Scotia Acadian and Francophone community. The enactment of the regulations on December 31, 2006 gave expression to this commitment.

As a community development architect, the community sector is one of three pillars of Canadian society, along with the public and private sectors. Our quality of life, our economic strength and the vitality of our democratic institutions depend on the vibrancy of these interdependent sectors and the support they provide to one another. Volunteers and staff working in community organizations are actively involved in making a difference and improving their communities, as well as working on behalf of Nova Scotia's Francophone and Acadian community. They deliver services critical to Canadians, advocate for common causes, and support economic and community development in Canada.

The community and volunteer sector has also been instrumental in the development of most of the public services we rely on today as essential manifestations of a caring society: schools, hospitals, help for the disadvantaged, care for children in need. All of these services were initially the result of volunteer initiatives. Today, the public sector and the volunteer and community sector both contribute to delivering these services. In the communities, the community sector is still an important provider of minority official language services. The Government of Canada recognizes this important contribution by the Acadian and Francophone community sector of Nova Scotia to the vitality of the community.

Community sector organizations bring their knowledge, expertise and compassion in working with communities and individuals to public policy debates and identify priorities to governments. By encouraging people to participate and work together for common causes, the sector strengthens citizen involvement, gives voice to the voiceless, allows for multiple perspectives to be heard on a variety of issues, and provides opportunities for people to practise the skills of democratic life.

Community organizations provide opportunities for volunteers to contribute to the life of their communities. The term "volunteer" refers to everyone who works by choice, without remuneration, on causes or for people outside their personal sphere. People volunteer formally, through organizations, or informally by participating and helping others. Volunteering takes different forms in different cultures and different regions of the country. Women and men who volunteer are committed to making a difference and believe deeply in the work they are doing.

Volunteers are involved in all three sectors, but the community sector is the only one to have been developed by volunteers and that continues to do the most to get them involved. The rich network of organizations known as the community sector helps make Canada the humane, caring and prosperous country it is, and is one of the strengths for which Canada is known around the world.

Parties to this Accord

The Acadian and Francophone Community Sector of Nova Scotia

This Accord applies to the Acadian and Francophone community sector of Nova Scotia. It consists of organizations that exist to serve a public benefit, are self-governing, do not distribute any profits to members, and depend largely on volunteers. Membership or involvement in these organizations is not compulsory, and they are independent and distinct, as institutions, from the formal structures of government and the private sector. Although many Acadian and Francophone community sector organizations rely on paid staff to carry out their work, all depend on volunteers, at least on their boards of directors.

The Department of Canadian Heritage

This Accord applies to the Department of Canadian Heritage, by virtue of the Official Languages Act.

Scope of the Accord

The Accord's focus is on the relationship between the Acadian community sector and Canadian Heritage. Both the Department of Canadian Heritage and the community sector have relationships with other federal departments and agencies, other levels of government (provincial and local), private sector entities and government and quasi-government bodies. Each of these relationships has its own history and dynamics. The Accord recognizes the importance of these relationships, and should facilitate them, but is not applicable to them.

The Accord also recognizes that many community sector organizations do not work directly or solely with Canadian Heritage, but nevertheless contribute to enhancing the vitality of Nova Scotia's Acadian community. The parties acknowledge that there are circumstances in which Canadian Heritage and the community sector organizations may advocate different courses of action or choose to tackle issues of common interest separately.

Reason for the Accord

The Nova Scotia Acadian and Francophone community sector and the Government of Canada, including the Department of Canadian Heritage, share a long tradition of joining forces to achieve common goals, as set out in the Official Languages Act and developed in detail in other framework documents. These goals include contributing to the development and vitality of the Acadian and Francophone community and fostering the equal status and use of both official languages of Canada. These common goals are contained in documents like the community's Global Development Plan and the federal government's Action Plan for Official Languages. Both sides believe, however, that there is benefit in formalizing the relationship with an accord that will facilitate greater mutual understanding and more cooperative ways of working together. These forms of cooperation include community cooperation, cooperation with the Department of Canadian Heritage, collaboration with other federal departments and collaboration with the provincial government; these are spelled out in Part V of the Accord.

The Acadian and Francophone community sector and the Department of Canadian Heritage are both large and diverse. It is important for each to know what to expect from the other, and to appreciate the roles, goals, and perspectives of the other.

Ten years of cooperation through two cycles of Canada-Community Agreements have helped the relationship between the Department and the Acadian and Francophone community sector evolve towards the shared goal of community-driven development. This Accord builds on previous efforts and seeks to improve the relationship by focussing on the benefits and potential of growth, while respecting the limitations of each party.


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THE ACCORD

PART I - PURPOSE OF THE ACCORD

The purpose of the Accord is to strengthen the ability of the Acadian and Francophone community sector and Canadian Heritage to better serve French-speaking Canadians living in Nova Scotia.

This Accord derives its strength from the evolving relationship between the Acadian and Francophone community sector and the Department of Canadian Heritage. While the Accord is not a legal document, it is designed to guide the evolution of this relationship by identifying the common values, principles and commitments that will shape future practices. It focuses on what unites the community sector and government, honours the contributions of both, and respects their unique strengths and different ways of working.

The Accord attests to a public commitment of Canadian Heritage and the community sector to work together in an open, transparent, consistent and collaborative way. When working together, Canadian Heritage and the community sector seek to fulfil the commitments set out in the Accord, and in so doing enhance the quality of life of French-speaking Canadians living in Nova Scotia.

PART II - VALUES

The Accord is based on the following seven Canadian values that are most relevant to the relationship between Canadian Heritage and the Acadian and Francophone community sector. These values are closely interrelated and together create a climate for improving and enhancing the lives of all Canadians:

Linguistic Duality

Enhancing the vitality of official-language minority communities, supporting and assisting their development, and promoting the full recognition and use of both official languages in Canadian society;

Democracy

Upholding the right to associate freely, to express views freely and to engage in advocacy;

Active Citizenship

Accepting the active involvement or engagement of individuals and communities in shaping society, whether through political or voluntary activity or both;

Equality

Respecting the rights of Canadians under the Constitution Act, 1982, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Human Rights Act, and the Official Languages Act;

Diversity

Respecting the rich variety of cultures, languages, identities, interests, views, abilities, and communities in Canada;

Inclusion

Promoting the expression and representation of diversity and upholding the right of each person to speak and be heard; and

Social Justice

Ensuring full participation in the social, economic and political life of communities.


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PART III - PRINCIPLES

The Accord is based on the following guiding principles:

Independence

Canadian Heritage and the Acadian and Francophone community sector are autonomous, have unique strengths and separate accountabilities, and agree that:

  • Canadian Heritage, within its mandate given by Parliament, is accountable to all Canadians for its actions, and has a responsibility to identify issues of national concern and mobilize resources to address them, establish policies and make decisions in the best interest of all Canadians;
  • Acadian and Francophone community sector organizations are accountable to their supporters and to those they serve in providing services, organizing activities and giving a collective voice at the local, provincial, national and international level;
  • The independence of Acadian and Francophone community sector organizations includes their right within the law to challenge public policies, programs and legislation and to advocate for change; and
  • Advocacy is inherent to debate and change in a democratic society and, subject to the above principles, it should not affect any funding relationship that might exist.

Interdependence

The Acadian and Francophone community sector and Canadian Heritage recognize that:

  • The actions of one can directly or indirectly affect the other, since both often share the same objective of common good, operate in the same areas of Canadian life, and serve the same clients; and
  • Each has complex and important relationships with others (such as other federal departments and agencies, provincial, territorial and local governments, business, labour), and the Accord is not meant to affect these relationships, but rather to facilitate them.

Dialogue

The Acadian and Francophone community sector and Canadian Heritage, recognizing that sharing of ideas, perspectives, and experiences contributes to better understanding, improved identification of priorities, and sound public policy, agree that:

  • Dialogue should be open, respectful, informed, sustained and welcome a range of viewpoints;
  • Dialogue should respect each party's confidential information, as well as build and maintain trust; and that
  • Appropriately designed processes and governance structures are necessary to achieve sustained dialogue.

Cooperation and Collaboration

Canadian Heritage and the Acadian and Francophone community sector agree that the social fabric of communities is strengthened and civic engagement is increased when they work together to address issues of mutual concern, and that:

  • Working together to identify common priorities or complementary objectives enhances cooperation and collaboration; and
  • Working relationships should be flexible and respect what others contribute, as well as the challenges and constraints under which they operate.

Accounting to Canadians

In addition to their separate accountabilities, the Acadian and Francophone community sector and Canadian Heritage are accountable for maintaining the trust and confidence of Canadians by:

  • Ensuring transparency, high standards of conduct and sound management in their work together; and
  • Monitoring and reporting on the results.

Transparency

Canadian Heritage and the Acadian and Francophone community sector need to encourage mutual understanding of their context and of the factors that affect each other's decisions. They agree that the community organizations and the Department need to exchange timely information about their operations, practices, intentions, objectives and results.


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PART IV - COMMITMENTS TO ACTION

The values and principles of the Accord are the basis for the development of the relationship between Canadian Heritage and the Acadian and Francophone community sector. Success in building the relationship will depend on the actions and practices of both Canadian Heritage and the Acadian and Francophone community sector for the benefit of French-speaking Canadians living in Nova Scotia. In moving forward, the following commitments will be essential.

Shared Commitments

The Acadian and Francophone community sector of Nova Scotia and the Department of Canadian Heritage commit to:

  • Act in a manner consistent with the values and principles in this Accord;
  • Develop the mechanisms and processes required to implement the Accord;
  • Work together to achieve shared goals and objectives as set out in this Accord;
  • Support comprehensive community-driven sustainable development; and
  • Promote awareness and understanding of the contributions that each makes to Canadian society.

Canadian Heritage Commitments

Canadian Heritage, within its mandate under Part VII of the Official Languages Act, commits to:

  • Recognize and consider the implications of its legislation, regulations, policies and programs on the Acadian and Francophone community, including the importance of funding policies and practices for the further development of the relationship and the strengthening of the Acadian and Francophone community sector's capacity; and
  • Recognize its need to engage the Acadian and Francophone community, in open, informed and sustained dialogue so that the sector may contribute its experience, expertise, knowledge, and ideas in developing better public policies, in the design and delivery of programs, and in the implementation of the interdepartmental and intergovernmental roles as defined in Part VII of the Official Languages Act.

Nova Scotia Acadian and Francophone Community Sector Commitments

The Nova Scotia Acadian and Francophone community sector, represented by the Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse, commits to:

  • Continue to identify important or emerging issues and trends in communities, and act on them or bring them to the attention of Canadian Heritage, under its mandate (Part VII of the Official Languages Act), and of the Government of Canada, in keeping with its Action Plan on Official Languages;
  • Serve as a means for the voices and views of all of its elements to be represented and heard by Canadian Heritage and the Government of Canada, thus ensuring the mobilization and engagement of the various elements of the community; and
  • Recognize the need to engage an open, informed and sustained dialogue within the Acadian and Francophone community sector, so that the community may:
    • Articulate a common vision with respect to its overall development and order its strategic priorities, in the form of the Global Development Plan; and consequently
    • make the choices required for the accountability of the Acadian and Francophone community sector for the results set out in this Plan.

PART V - IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACCORD

The Nova Scotia Acadian and Francophone community sector and Canadian Heritage agree on:

  • The common results they wish to attain to enhance the development and vitality of Nova Scotia's Acadian and Francophone community, with due regard to the key community issues identified;
  • Appropriate organizational structures to implement the provisions of the Accord at Canadian Heritage and in the Acadian and Francophone community sector; and
  • Processes for implementing the Accord, for reporting to Canadians on the status of the relationship and the results that have been achieved, for agreeing on next steps, and for considering strategic opportunities for future collaboration..
  • The aim is for the Accord and its implementation plan to provide an appropriate framework to help the Acadian and Francophone community sector, and for Canadian Heritage to be able to better serve French-speaking Canadians living in Nova Scotia.

1. Key Community Issues and Common Results

The Acadian and Francophone community sector and Canadian Heritage take note of the key community issues and agree that the Global Development Plan should articulate a set of results that contributes to the development and vitality of Nova Scotia's Acadian and Francophone community.

1.1. Key Community Issues

The key issues for Nova Scotia's Acadian and Francophone community are the following:

  • The population, while heavily concentrated in a number of regions, is dispersed and isolated;
  • Nova Scotia's French-speaking population is essentially rural, and the fact that the realities differ greatly from one region to another is a major challenge. The exodus of young people from the province is a major challenge, particularly in rural areas;
  • All regions are faced with an aging population and a low birth rate;
  • Assimilation is still very much a factor in Nova Scotia; and
  • Sense of belonging and pride in one's identity are concepts that need to be strengthened within the community.
1.2. Common Results

Canadian Heritage takes note of the following results, as set out in the Acadian and Francophone community's Global Development Plan, as they relate to the Department's mandate:

  • The Acadians of Nova Scotia are able to grow and develop within their own language and culture; and
  • The economic prosperity of Acadian communities contributes to their sustainable development and to the overall vitality of Acadians and Francophones in Nova Scotia.

The Conseil provincial des membres (CPM) and the Department of Canadian Heritage agree to work towards the following common results within the framework of this Accord:

  • Help the current highly minority groups to develop into true Francophone communities in order to prevent loss of identity and assimilation.
  • Consolidate progress that has been made in the communities and work to make Nova Scotia's Acadian and Francophone community sustainable.
  • Strengthen Nova Scotia's Acadian and Francophone community's capacity to effect changes in the various facets of society (in order to normalize the use of French within this society).
  • Promote the consolidation of the Acadian and Francophone community's long-term development by helping to increase its autonomy.
  • Maintain effective dialogue.
  • Promote the knowledge of history and the sense of pride and belonging with respect to language and culture within Nova Scotia's Acadian and Francophone community.
  • Encourage and allow the full participation of all elements of society, including youth, seniors and women.

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2. Cooperation and Collaboration

2.1. Community Cooperation and Cohesion

The vitality of Nova Scotia's Acadian and Francophone community depends on the joint efforts of many development architects, namely community networks and their individual organizations, community institutions, public and para-public institutions (federal, provincial and municipal), and the private sector. It also hinges on getting people to volunteer their time and effort for a cause or the public good, and thus contribute to the life of their community.

This collaboration Accord aims to encourage community cooperation and cohesion among these development architects. It will require a joint effort by all the community development architects. These include groups that receive funding through Cooperation with the Community Sector, as well as institutions and organizational networks that do not receive funding from that envelope, such as health, community economic development and education.

Conseil provincial des membres: Nature and Role

The Nova Scotia Acadian and Francophone community sector has a responsibility to promote a coordinated and effective approach among all development architects within the community. In order to accomplish this, it has established a provincial community coordination group called the Conseil provincial des membres (CPM).

The community sector articulates the community development process and the selection and sequencing of strategic priorities. It facilitates the crafting of a Global Development Plan that integrates the contributions of all community development architects.

The community sector is where dialogue with various institutions is initiated. It seeks to include and integrate emerging or marginalized groups in Nova Scotia Acadian networks and institutions, and to welcome any group wishing to contribute to the province's Acadian community.

The community sector adopts cooperation mechanisms that reflect local, regional and sectoral realities, as well as the realities of the various target client groups, and that give due regard to factors like demography, geography, gender, and racial and ethnocultural minorities; these mechanisms include the sectoral roundtables. The community sector encourages cooperation within natural networks and takes into account the ability of sectors to negotiate and set their own priorities.

Operational Responsibility

The Acadian and Francophone community sector recognizes the Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse (FANE) as the body responsible for the operational management of provincial collaboration, in addition to convening meetings of the Conseil provincial des membres and managing its administration.

On behalf of the Acadian and Francophone community sector, the Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse :

  • Implements appropriate consultation mechanisms;
  • Ensures the overall administrative efficiency of cooperation mechanisms within the community and volunteer sector; and
  • Develops a communications strategy in order to inform French-speaking citizens living in Nova Scotia and to promote community cooperation and cohesion.
Governance and Democratic Representation

The Acadian and Francophone community of Nova Scotia defines the forums and structures where community cooperation takes place, as well as governance and democratic representation mechanisms. The Acadian and Francophone community may redefine these forums, structures and mechanisms as needed. Decisions will be communicated to the Department of Canadian Heritage. The Department recognizes the democratic choices of Nova Scotia's Acadian and Francophone community.


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2.2. Canadian Heritage - Acadian and Francophone Community Collaboration

The broad social project and the achievement of specific objectives within the community's Global Development Plan sometimes require the collaboration or contribution of other stakeholders. These may include public, para-public, private, institutional and community organizations, whether Francophone or non-Francophone. This collaboration is most likely to be productive when all appropriate parties bring their services, programs, resources and knowledge to the table. This Accord facilitates the adoption of this approach by creating flexible and dynamic mechanisms called sectoral roundtables.

Sectoral Roundtables

The Acadian and Francophone community sector and the Department of Canadian Heritage agree to establish sectoral roundtables as a forum for dynamic exchanges to share information, raise awareness, plan action and hold discussions about their relationships. The sectoral roundtables always include representatives from the Acadian and Francophone community sector and Canadian Heritage. The participation of other stakeholders is flexible; they will be called upon to attend the roundtables as a function of the nature, scope and extent of the objectives being pursued.

Operation of the sectoral roundtables will be carried out jointly by the Acadian and Francophone community sector and the Department on the basis of the objectives being pursued and in a manner consistent with the principles of independence, interdependence, dialogue, cooperation and collaboration, and accountability to all Canadians.

The Acadian and Francophone community sector will from time to time define the procedure for designating community stakeholders to participate in the sectoral roundtables, depending on the nature, scope and extent of the objectives at hand. The identity of designated participants will be communicated to Canadian Heritage so as to promote constructive exchanges.

Mobilizing Public Resources: Interdepartmental and Intergovernmental Cooperation

The Acadian and Francophone community sector and Canadian Heritage recognize the importance of continuing efforts to mobilize public resources at all levels of government in order to move toward achieving common results and the community's development objectives. Some efforts to mobilize public resources will stem from the work of the sectoral roundtables. Some efforts will focus on mobilizing resources to help various types of community institutions provide services to the population. Relations Between the Acadian and Francophone Community Sector and the Government of Canada at the Provincial Level

As stipulated in Part VII of the Official Languages Act, the Minister of Canadian Heritage, in consultation with other federal ministers, shall encourage and promote a coordinated approach to the federal institutions' implementation of the commitments to enhance the vitality of the English and French linguistic minority communities in Canada, to support and assist their development, and to foster the full recognition and use of both English and French in Canadian society.

The Acadian and Francophone community sector and the Department will work together to ensure that members of the community are better informed about the programs and services offered by federal institutions, and that federal institutions are better acquainted with Nova Scotia's Acadian and Francophone community, its development priorities, its mechanisms and structures and its particular characteristics in relation to its activities, programs and services.

The Department of Canadian Heritage supports the efforts of Acadian and Francophone community sector organizations to work with other federal institutions in order to facilitate the implementation of the community's development objectives. For example, Canadian Heritage leads the Interdepartmental Partnership with the Official-Language Communities, an element of the Community Life program component which aims to encourage lasting partnerships between federal departments and agencies and official-language minority community associations or organizations. Canadian Heritage will use various instruments at its disposal to support the efforts of the Acadian and Francophone community sector.

The Acadian and Francophone community sector and Canadian Heritage work together to identify those community development priorities which require an interdepartmental approach. The means of consultation and collaboration depend on the issues and structures established at the federal, provincial or local levels, according to the areas of responsibility.

The Department of Canadian Heritage will support the Nova Scotia Federal Council in developing an ongoing relationship with the Acadian and Francophone community so that, as a provincial forum for federal government interdepartmental matters, it can fully contribute to the implementation of the Global Development Plan and the vitality of the community.

Relations Between the Acadian and Francophone Community Sector and the Government of Nova Scotia and its Organizations

In addition to Cooperation with the Community Sector, Canadian Heritage leads another key element of the Community Life program component, Intergovernmental Cooperation on Minority-Language Services, which aims to help provincial and territorial governments and municipalities provide official-language minority communities with services in their own language, along with the necessary infrastructure to provide these services..

Canadian Heritage encourages the provincial government to take the objectives of the community's Global Development Plan into account in its French-language services plan. Canadian Heritage maintains close ties with officials of the Nova Scotia Office of Acadian Affairs to promote the goals of the Global Development Plan and the shared results specified in this Accord.

Canadian Heritage also leads Intergovernmental Cooperation on Minority-Language Education, which aims to help provincial and territorial governments, directly or through the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC), to offer members of official-language minority communities an education in their own language.

The Acadian and Francophone community sector is responsible for mobilizing resources in the areas of responsibility of other levels of government. It strives to emphasize those aspects of its Global Development Plan that normally require the involvement of provincial, municipal or arm's-length public agencies in providing public services. This exercise could generate cooperation and advocacy efforts on the part of the Acadian and Francophone community sector. Canadian Heritage will use the various instruments at its disposal to support the efforts of the community sector.

Interdepartmental and Intergovernmental Cooperation

The Acadian and Francophone community sector and Canadian Heritage have agreed to coordinate the appropriate mechanisms to foster ongoing cooperation among provincial French-language service coordinators and regional coordinators under section 41 of the Official Languages Act in federal institutions.


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2.3. Implementation of the Accord

In keeping with the values and principles stated in this Accord, the Acadian and Francophone community sector seeks to engage in a dialogue on public policy. It hopes to interact with the different levels of government through the various stages of the public policy process in order to promote the exchange of knowledge and experience, and to develop the best possible public policies that fully take into account the aspirations of French-speaking citizens living in Nova Scotia.

The Acadian and Francophone community sector and the Department acknowledge the importance of advocacy. The strengthening of the sector's advocacy capacities aims to improve understanding of the processes through which governments and public institutions make their decisions, the ability to influence these processes, the determining factors in community development; and knowledge-based decision making.

Community Spokespersons

The Acadian and Francophone community recognizes the Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse (FANE) as the key representative in terms of advocacy and dialogue on public policy.

The Acadian and Francophone community also recognizes leaders of community networks as key advocates in specific advocacy issues.

The Department of Canadian Heritage recognizes the Nova Scotia Acadian and Francophone community's democratic choices in selecting its key advocates.

3. Implementation of the Accord

In addition to the tools described in the previous sections, the collaboration between the Nova Scotia Acadian and Francophone community sector and Canadian Heritage includes a financial component. This section describes the financial elements of Cooperation with the Community Sector and the accompanying accountability mechanisms.

3.1. Commitment of a Budget Envelope

The budget envelope set aside for Cooperation with the Community Sector in Nova Scotia comes from the Development of Official-Language Communities Program, under its Community Life component. The program will be reviewed for renewal by Treasury Board in 2008-09.

The amounts, allocation and term of this budget envelope are set out in Appendix B.

The size of the budget envelope is subject to the annual approval of appropriations by Parliament and to the continuance of current and projected budget levels for the Development of Official-Language Communities Program.

Canadian Heritage will seek to harmonize procedures to facilitate joint funding of projects when a number of government departments or agencies are working on the same initiative or on several initiatives with the same Acadian and Francophone community organization.

Canadian Heritage's financial commitments will be made through contribution agreements and grants. Canadian Heritage commits to introducing a reasonable and flexible transition period when major funding changes must be made.

3.2. Program - Supporting Action

According to the Program's terms and conditions, these investments are intended to support the communities' involvement in their own development and to provide community organizations with the ability to take action to achieve concrete and measurable outcomes that will contribute to the sustainability of the communities.

The Department will give priority to supporting activities that:

  • Provide structure or have a structural effect on the overall development of the communities or of a particular sector;
  • Contribute to enriching community life, developing a sense of identity and welcoming diversity; and
  • Target outcomes compatible with the objectives of the Community Life component and are consistent with the Department's priorities.
  • The Department will give priority to supporting activities aimed at achieving the shared collaboration results identified in this Accord.
3.3. Project - Supporting Innovation

According to the Program's terms and conditions, these investments are intended to encourage innovation in the development of official-language minority communities.

The Department will give priority to supporting projects that:

  • Are innovative and target the development of best practices;
  • Are compatible with the Department's priorities; or
  • Address topical issues.
  • The Department will give priority to supporting projects aimed at achieving the share collaboration results identified in this Accord.
  • The Funding Recommendations Committee referred to in this Accord may recommend support for ad hoc activities for which implementation does not require ongoing funding.
3.4. Interprovincial Collaboration

Canadian Heritage and the Forum agree that the development of Nova Scotia's Acadian and Francophone community is stimulated by joint action with the minority Francophone communities in other provinces. The Acadian and Francophone community sector will seek to support, through the provincial budget envelope, activities of an interprovincial nature that contribute to the implementation of the Global Development Plan and the realization of common results. The Acadian and Francophone community sector agrees to allocate a specified portion of the envelope to projects of this kind. The terms and conditions governing these projects will be subject to prior agreements between the participating provincial communities.


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3.5. Process for Recommendations and Decisions
Community Recommendations

Throughout the two most recent Canada-Community agreements (1994–2004), best practices across the country have shown that a community-based process for allocating resources can have a great influence on community cohesion. In Nova Scotia, the community sector has refined its mechanism to determine strategic priorities; it has also gained some experience in defining the means to be used to determine and facilitate the distribution of funds.

The Acadian and Francophone community sector and Canadian Heritage recognize the importance of the continuum between priority-setting and funding decisions. One of the objectives for this cycle is to fine-tune the mechanisms leading to funding allocation decisions.

All funding allocation procedures will be subject to the requirements of Treasury Board policies. Funding Recommendations Committee

The Acadian and Francophone community sector will establish a funding Recommendations Committee. The Committee is mandated to make recommendations to the Department of Canadian Heritage regarding the distribution of funds available via the provincial Cooperation with the Community Sector budget envelope. These recommendations concerning the allocation of funding per organization will be linked to the objectives and priorities of the Global Development Plan and the common results sought in this Accord. They will also take into account equity among the regions, the organizations' stages of development, and the lasting impact of the proposed activities at the local and provincial levels.

The Committee will use evaluation criteria and analytical tools developed by the Department, in collaboration with the Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse, to make funding recommendations.

The Acadian and Francophone community sector will define the selection process for members of the Funding Recommendations Committee in accordance with the principles of good governance, democracy, transparency and independence. It may be linked to other structures of the Acadian and Francophone community sector and may be revised from time to time, as needed. The Forum will inform Canadian Heritage of decisions regarding this process and the composition of the Committee. Once established, the Committee will function independently from any other community structure and from the sector roundtables.

Funding Recommendations Committee members must ensure that confidential information concerning funding decisions to which they have access are not disclosed to third parties without the written consent of the Department.

Responsabilités de Patrimoine canadien

It is the responsibility of the Department to analyze applications, examine them critically in a broader context, make final recommendations to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, and manage the decision-making and administrative processes. In analyzing applications, the Department will take into consideration the recommendations of the Committee regarding the allocation of funding.

The Minister is responsible for making the final decision on the specific allocation of funding in accordance with the terms and conditions in effect at the Department.

In order to maintain transparency, the final decision regarding allocation of funds will be communicated to the Funding Recommendations Committee and to the public, following the Minister's approval.

Canadian Heritage is responsible for determining procedures and tools relating to the presentation and analysis of applications. The Department recognizes the consequences that its policies and funding practices may have on the development of the relationship and on strengthening the Acadian and Francophone community sector's capacity for action, and takes them into consideration. Tools will be developed with due attention to simplifying the administrative requirements while respecting the terms and conditions of the Program and the Department's accountability framework, which may be amended from time to time.

Best Management Practices

The Acadian and Francophone community sector and the Department agree to jointly identify best management practices.

In compliance with Treasury Board policies, the Department has adopted a risk management approach to assess and monitor the initiatives and ensure that the approach suits the level of funding as well as the size and nature of the organization. The Risk-Based Audit Framework for Official Languages Support Programs provides for a recipient audit plan. Some organizations will be asked to participate in this monitoring exercise.

With a focus on ongoing performance improvement, Canadian Heritage may ask selected Acadian and Francophone community organizations to participate in an organizational audit conducted according to a framework established by the Department. Participating groups will be compensated financially by the Department.


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3.6. Results and Performance

The Acadian and Francophone community sector and Canadian Heritage agree on the importance of reporting to Parliament and to Canadians on the progress made in achieving results with the funds invested.

Canadian Heritage and the Acadian and Francophone community sector recognize that community development is a long-term process, that some fundamental results may be achieved only over long periods, possibly decades, and that it is important at this point to establish strategies and means that will allow for the assessment of results over the long term.

Canadian Heritage's Official Languages Support Programs are structured in accordance with the two types of results based on the commitments set out in Section 41 of the Official Languages Act: developing strong official-language minority communities supported by numerous partners, and fostering the full recognition of linguistic duality among all Canadians.

To report on the progress achieved towards these results, Canadian Heritage must refer to the Results-Based Management and Accountability Framework for Official Languages Support Programs.

Activities supported by the Cooperation with the Community Sector sub-component must contribute to achieving the intermediate and final results set out in the Official Languages Support Programs.

The Government of Canada is developing indicators of community vitality with these communities. The indicators will set benchmarks and allow for more accurate measurement of community development over time. Information on outputs produced by Acadian organizations must be structured in such a way as to enable the measurement of these indicators

Canadian Heritage will establish mechanisms for the standardization, collection and management of information on outputs towards 2008–09 in consultation with the Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse. These mechanisms will be developed with due attention to simplifying and reducing administrative requirements.

There are three levels of performance evaluation: an annual evaluation of outputs by groups receiving funds from the Cooperation with the Community Sector component; an evaluation of this Accord within a national evaluation of progress achieved under Cooperation with the Community Sector in 2008–09; and the program evaluation, to take place in 2008–09.

Annual Outputs of Investments in Cooperation with the Community Sector

Each funded organization reports on its annual outputs in relation to its contribution to the advancement of the Global Development Plan and the common objectives of the Accord.

Cooperation with the Community Sector Progress Evaluation

The Department will evaluate the progress made towards the targeted shared results in all community-sector cooperation accords. This evaluation will include a component on cooperation with the Nova Scotia Acadian and Francophone community sector and will focus on the efficiency of collaboration mechanisms, the clarity and relevance of respective roles, and the quality and relevance of outputs in relation to the stated shared objectives. This evaluation will continue in 2008–09 in order to allow for adjustments to the collaboration mechanisms and to guide their renewal at the end of the term.

The Nova Scotia Acadian and Francophone community sector agrees to participate in the development of evaluation parameters and to collaborate in the evaluation in accordance with the procedures that will be developed. The Department will be responsible for performing the evaluation.

Official-Language Communities Program Evaluation

The Department of Canadian Heritage must provide Treasury Board with a summative evaluation of the Development of Official-Language Communities Program by the end of 2008–09. The Corporate Review Branch, a third party that is independent of the Official Languages Support Branch, is responsible for conducting this evaluation.

The Department uses several methods to conduct program evaluations including:

  • review of relevant documents (e.g., record of achievements, annual report, action plan);
  • A review of the literature (e.g., sociological research, statistical studies);
  • Collection and compilation of information (e.g., analysis of financial data, compilation of outputs, trend studies);
  • Interviews with key contributors (e.g., representatives of community organizations and institutions, program managers, researchers);
  • Surveys (e.g., public opinion polls, questionnaires); and
  • Discussion groups (for example, with parents, youth).
  • The Acadian and Francophone community sector will be called upon to participate in many of these evaluation activities.

CONCLUSION

Canadians expect a strong, vibrant and engaged Nova Scotia Acadian and Francophone community, and seek to build a strong, fair and inclusive society in which values and principles are recognized, the full range of human activities is encouraged, and individuals and communities can realize their full potential. This Accord is the starting point for strengthening the relationship between Canadian Heritage and the Nova Scotia Francophone and Acadian community sector, helping Canadians achieve the society they want.

ACADIAN AND FRANCOPHONE COMMUNITY OF NOVA SCOTIA
THE NOVA SCOTIA ACADIAN AND FRANCOPHONE SECTOR

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages, and the President of the Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse, on behalf of Nova Scotia's Acadian and Francophone community sector, have signed this Collaboration Accord.

This Accord was concluded this 11th day of February 2008.

(Signed by) Josée Verner
Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages

IN THE PRESENCE OF

  • (Signed by) Emilie Potvin
    Witness
    Signature
  • (Signed by) Désiré Boudreau
    President of the Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse

IN THE PRESENCE OF

(Signed by) Jean Léger
Witness
Signature