Investigator Services

In an effort to reduce the backlog and deal with incoming new complaints within the Client Assurance Branch (CAB)’s service standards, the branch wishes to award a contract for investigative services related to Official Languages complaints. The investigations must be conducted in accordance to the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages (OCOL) standards of objectivity, impartiality and confidentiality. The purpose of this contract is to provide more flexibility to the CAB to handle investigation case files when faced with a shortage of personnel.

The Directorate conducts a large number of investigations each year. The workload is very unpredictable and the Directorate can be faced with a shortage of resources to handle the complaint files which has led to backlogs in the past.

In an effort to reduce and prevent a backlog of either Part IV, Part V or section 91 complaints filed under the Official Languages Act (the Act) (http://www.officiallanguages.gc.ca/en/language_rights/act), increase customer service level and meet CAB’s service standards, the branch requires the services of investigators to handle incoming complaints.

Amongst the tools available to the Commissioner to assess institutions’ compliance with the Act, is the:

• Facilitated Resolution Process (FRP): a type of investigation that aims at effectively resolving the issue brought forth by the complainant, without drawing a conclusion as to whether the complaint is founded or not. Approval of the complainant is required to use this process.

• Formal Investigation Process: a type of investigation that involves a more bureaucratic approach and aims at determining whether the complaint was founded or not founded. It involves the drafting of a notification of intent, a preliminary report and a final report that takes into account comments from both parties to the complaint.