Francophone Affairs Secretariat

Active Offer	Offre active
Ambit of the Policy General Definitions Orientation DVD Manitoba's Active Offer of Services in French Brochure on the active offer concept Official government service sign Magnetic badge to identify bilingual employees	Portée de la politique Définitions générales DVD d'orientation L'offre active des services en français au Manitoba Dépliant sur le concept de l'offre active Écriteau officiel d'offre de services gouvernementaux Insigne magnétique pour identifier le personnel bilingue

AMBIT OF THE POLICY

The policy's purpose is to allow this community and the institutions serving it to access comparable government services in the language of the laws of Manitoba. — Statement of Policy.

By the implementation of an active offer of French language services, Franco-Manitobans can be made to feel that they are indeed a constituent part of one of the fundamental characteristics of Canada.

The main points of the concept of active offer of French language services are as follows:

The concept of active offer applies to all services provided to the general public in designated areas by administrative bodies covered by this policy. This concept encompasses all communications in the official language of the clientele's choice, either by phone, in person, in writing, or by electronic methods.

The active offer concept means that the service providers publicize the availability of services in both languages, and ensure that people feel equally comfortable in dealing with the designated service centres in the language of their choice.

The offer of French language services is evident.

Members of the general public are convinced from the outset that using the official language of their choice will not result in a diminished quality of service, wherever this service is offered.

Therefore, an active offer of French language services means:

• providing quality service in the official language of the clientele's choice;
• making this service evident, readily available, and easily accessible to the client; and
• providing a comparable service in both official languages for all oral, written, and electronic communications related to the service.

Our French language services must be brought closer to the people who are likely to use them. We want to establish a rapprochement of services and clients.

GENERAL DEFINITIONS

Active Offer

The set of measures taken by designated administrative bodies to ensure that French language services are evident, readily available, easily accessible, and publicized, and that the quality of these services is comparable to that of services offered in English.

Bilingual Format

The "bilingual format" as it pertains to forms means that:

the English and French texts are printed side-by-side or one after the other throughout the form.

As for public information documents, the "bilingual format" means:

• parallel, dual-column format;
• back-to-front, i.e., with English on one side of the page and French on the other;
• head-to-tail, i.e., with each version upside down in relation to the other.

Comparable Service

The provision of a service in French equivalent in quality, availability and accessibility to that offered in English.

Designated Administrative Body

An entity or organization to which the Government of Manitoba's FLS Policy applies and which is, therefore, required to actively offer its services in French.

Designated Bilingual Position

A position that must be filled by an individual who speaks both official languages and who is able to adequately deliver "comparable service" in French in accordance with the requirements of the French Language Services Policy, the active offer concept and the FLS Plan of his or her designated administrative body.

Designated Service Centre

Offices or facilities that are either:

1. Completely Bilingual Service Centres located in the designated areas and entirely staffed with bilingual personnel so as to ensure services in both official languages at all times.
2. Partially Bilingual Service Centres that have a bilingual staff component in designated positions and in back-up positions to ensure an active offer and delivery of services in French at all times.

FLS Implementation Facilitator

An individual who, on behalf of the Francophone Affairs Secretariat, provides consultative, analytic and planning support to designated administrative bodies in relation to the implementation of the FLS Policy.

French Language Services (FLS)

The set of written, verbal, audio-visual and electronic communications in the French language by which a designated administrative body provides information or assistance to the members of the Francophone community in Manitoba, and which are comparable to its English language communications.

French Language Services Coordinator

An individual within a designated administrative body who has particular and specific responsibilities under the FLS Policy and policy guidelines for the overall implementation of French language services.

French Language Services Plan

An outline of the practical ways and means by which a designated administrative body can actively offer and effectively provide its services in French through designated service centres and via bilingual and French language information materials.

General Public

• The population of Manitoba in general;
• a portion of this population at least 5% of which is Francophone;
• or service providers who have frequent and direct contact with Francophones and must therefore communicate in both official languages.