Army trys to cut costs with manuals only in English
Documents related to new vehicle bound for English-only unit
David Pugliese
CanWest News Service
Saturday, February 11, 2006
The Canadian Force's new high-tech armoured vehicle will be operated by an English-only unit with the army planning to save time and money by not translating documents and equipment manuals related to the $700-million purchase, according to a report obtained by the Ottawa Citizen.
The unusual arrangement with the Mobile Gun System (MGS) comes as the Defence department is already under fire for shirking its responsibilities to official bilingualism. The MGS, the first of which is expected to arrive in 2008, is one of the key pillars of Chief of the Defence Staff General Rick Hillier's future Canadian Forces.
Military equipment in Canada is usually supplied with manuals and support material in both official languages. But defence planners hope to save money by cutting out French-language content on the MGS, which will eventually be based in Edmonton. "Translations will have unnecessary impact on costs and scope of work, especially for [the] first 16 MGSs," notes one report produced in November, 2004, and recently released under the Access to Information law.
The military plans to seek an exemption from translating any documentation regarding the MGSs, although health, security and safety signs will remain bilingual. "Whenever possible, graphic symbols will be used in lieu of written signage," officers recommend in the report.
In total, the Canadian Forces will purchase 66 MGSs. The vehicle is now under development in the United States for the American military. Canadian officers say they are trying to cut down on the amount of "Canadianization" needed on the 66 vehicles so they can be delivered faster and at less cost. Most of that type of work involves installing Canadian communications gear.
The wheeled MGS, equipped with a 105mm gun, will be operated by the Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) based in Edmonton.
But the MGS has had its share of critics in and out of the military. Some officers have pointed out that the MGS is based on technology that will be outdated over the next 10 years. Others have warned its light armour puts troops at risk. A study conducted in 2003 also questioned whether the vehicle was needed for the army's future transformation.
Lieutenant-Colonel Chuck Armstrong, who is responsible for unit language designations, said there are two English-language armoured regiments and one French-language armoured regiment in the Canadian Forces. That provides opportunity for English- or French-speaking Canadians to serve in the unit that meets their language needs.
But last Tuesday, the country's Commissioner of Official Languages took the Defence department to task on its commitment to bilingualism. Dyane Adam recommended that by next year, bilingualism be a requirement for promotion for officers at the rank of colonel or naval captain and above.
Ms. Adam criticized military supervisors at National Defence headquarters in Ottawa for not providing a truly bilingual environment. "After 35 years of official bilingualism, most institutions have increased their bilingual capacity because they have invested in training, but we do not see that progress at National Defence," she said.
The audit was launched after Ms. Adam's office received more than 40 complaints from employees, claiming the Defence department failed to provide a bilingual work environment. The focus of the audit was the defence headquarters. Among the complaints were that employees were not supervised in their own language and that there was a lack of French software and computer keyboards equipped with French accents.
Defence officials, however, have challenged the audit's conclusions. They noted that all officers of the rank of lieutenant-general and higher are bilingual and 70% of newly-promoted colonels and naval captains are bilingual.
Link
rotest: