Collaboration with industry experts leads to contract awards for parliamentary and conference interpretation services

GATINEAU, QC, May 24, 2019 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is committed to promoting official languages and upholding the spirit of the Official Languages Act by supporting linguistic duality within the Government of Canada and in serving Canadians.

Today, Steven MacKinnon, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility, on behalf of the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility, announced a series of contract awards for parliamentary and conference interpretation services.

The contracts are the result of extensive consultations led by Public Services and Procurement Canada's Translation Bureau, and with the conference interpretation sector, to develop a contracting process based on best fit that prioritizes interpreters' specialized knowledge and quality of service. These contracts will uphold the economic vitality of Canada's interpretation community and ensure Canadians receive the information they need in the language of their choice.

Quotes

"Our government is proud to reiterate its commitment to promoting official languages and to providing high‑quality interpretation. These contracts are the result of extensive consultation and a testament to close collaboration efforts with the interpretation industry."

Steven MacKinnon
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility

"This new approach rightfully recognizes the wonderful linguistic duality of Canada by ensuring that access to the proceedings of federal institutions is of equal quality in both English and French. We applaud the government and the Translation Bureau on this achievement." 

Linda Ballantyne
President of the Canada region of the International Association of Conference Interpreters

Quick facts

• In the fall of 2017, the Translation Bureau created the Conference Interpretation Advisory Panel and the Special Procurement Working Group, representing the freelance interpreters' community. Following several consultations, the Working Group drafted the contracts and developed the best fit approach to ensure the new process meets the government's requirements, while also reflecting interpreters' qualifications and field of specialization.
• The Translation Bureau is a world-class centre of excellence for linguistic services. It gives priority to the well-being of language service providers by innovating in the field of language service delivery and adopting leading practices and technologies.
• The Translation Bureau offers translation, interpretation and terminology products and services to Parliament, the courts, and federal departments and agencies, in both official languages and in over 100 Indigenous and foreign languages.
• With the new contracts, each interpretation service provider is guaranteed a minimum amount of $1,000, up to a maximum amount of $100,000, for the period of the contract, valid from the date of award until June 30, 2020.
• All of the qualified interpreters are accredited by the Translation Bureau.
• Accredited professional interpreters from the private sector will support the Translation Bureau by providing quality linguistic services to the judiciary, government departments and agencies, and Parliament.

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SOURCE Public Services and Procurement Canada