2. VANOC’s Structure and the Role of Francophone Organizations and Government Secretariats
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Officials in each of VANOC’s divisions are responsible for implementing the Agreement’s official languages requirements, which have been integrated into the divisions’ operational planning. Responsibility for applying each of the Agreement’s clauses has been assigned to one or more divisions according to their respective functions. The Revenue, Marketing and Communications Division, for example, is responsible for the Web site. The Official Languages Function, which falls under the Human Resources, Sustainability and International Client Services Division, is responsible for such areas as providing support to the divisions by giving them advice, working with them to integrate official languages into the operational planning process and carrying out follow ups.
Because the Official Languages Function falls under the Human Resources Division, it can take bilingualism needs directly into account when recruiting employees and volunteers, providing language training and integrating official languages into the training program. VANOC’s members, along with representatives of the Francophone communities and partners who were interviewed, stated that the existing system of management was effective on the whole.
However, the ability of the Official Languages Function to take action is hindered by the lack of human resources allocated to it. This problem will become more acute with the constantly rising workload of future phases.
VANOC consists of eight divisions, with the following functions:13
| Division | Functions |
|---|---|
| Revenue, Marketing and Communications |
|
| Construction | |
| Corporate Strategy and Government Relations | |
| Division | Functions |
| Finance, Legal and CEO’s Office |
|
| Sport, Paralympic Games and Venue Management |
|
| Technology and Systems |
|
| Human Resources, Sustainability and International |
|
| Service Operations and Ceremonies |
|
2.1. Organization and role of the Francophone Associations, Provinces and the Grand Témoin
2.1.1. Francophone associations
Fondation Dialogue aims to promote and sustain dialogue between the Francophone and Acadian communities and the other components of Canadian society, for example, Anglophones, ethnocultural communities and Aboriginal peoples.14 In the context of the Games, it is Fondation Dialogue that ensures liaison between VANOC and French-language communities across the country. Fondation Dialogue describes itself as a resource organization, whose role is to coordinate and supervise the implementation of activities. It fosters and supports dialogue among communities, while educating and informing the public
to encourage closer ties through partnerships.15
Bringing together some 40 organizations, the FFCB speaks for the Francophones of British Columbia.16 The FFCB’s objectives for the Games are the following:
- Mobilize British Columbia’s Francophones and Francophiles;
- Welcome people from other parts of Canada and abroad who are interested in the province’s French-speaking community;
- Ensure that Canada’s linguistic duality is reflected in the Games;
- Ensure FFCB member associations work together;
- Create projects that will enable the diversity and special characteristics of the French-speaking community to be adequately represented in activities taking place in the Vancouver–Whistler corridor;
- Support VANOC in ensuring bilingual Games.
2.1.2. Provinces and territories
VANOC has reached agreements with eight provinces (Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, Alberta, Quebec and New Brunswick) and the three territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut). These agreements with VANOC define the role of these governments in the Games (see section 3.6. on relationships with Canada’s Francophonie). However, only the agreements with Quebec and New Brunswick have language provisions.
2.1.3. Grand Témoin
At the international level, the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) appoints a Grand Témoin one year prior to the Games (and has done so only since the 2004 Athens Games) to observe the Games and report to the OIF’s Secretary General on the place of French in the Games. The OIF named Jean-Pierre Raffarin “Grand Témoin de la Francophonie” for the Beijing Games.
For the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) signed an agreement with the OIF for the promotion of the French language at the 29th Olympiad. The agreement aimed to support the efforts of the Chinese organizers to ensure the use and presence of French during the Games and their preparations.
2.2. Organization of the Federal and Provincial Governments
The federal government and the Government of British Columbia each have a secretariat. The Federal Games Secretariat represents the federal government at VANOC and serves as its critical point of contact with other federal institutions. As the main financial partner for the Games’ venue program, the Federal Games Secretariat has been given the mandate by Cabinet, through Canadian Heritage, to represent the Government of Canada at the 2010 Games. The Federal Games Secretariat helps foster an environment conducive to dialogue between VANOC and other groups, such as Francophone communities. It has, for example, helped designate Fondation Dialogue as the key group to serve as a catalyst organization and ensure liaison with VANOC. The British Columbia 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Secretariat, on the other hand, is responsible for supervising, financially controlling and leveraging the Games.
Notes
13. VANOC, Business Plan and Games Budget, May 8, 2007. On-line version (http://www.vancouver2010.com/en/about-vanoc/business-plan-and-games-budget/-/32766/196rogx/index.html
) consulted on January 9, 2008. The 2008 business plan may include changes in the units and divisions. Cultural events, for example, now seem to fall under the Corporate Strategy and Government Relations Division.
14. www.fondationdialogue.ca/accueil.html (in French only).
15. For more information, see Fondation Dialogue’s site at www.fondationdialogue.ca/objets.html (in French only).
