A special Linguistic Duality Day in the Defence Team
National Defence commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Official Languages Act with a special ceremony at NDHQ (Carling) in Ottawa on Linguistic Duality Day, September 12, 2019. The ceremony was live streamed across the Defence Team and simultaneous translation in both official languages was provided.
Defence Team Official Languages Excellence Awards
The first Defence Team Official Languages Excellence Awards were presented at the ceremony by Deputy Minister, Ms. Jody Thomas, and the Chief of the Defence Staff, General Jonathan Vance. Award recipients included:
- Colonel Keith Osmond (Leadership Level Award), Canadian Forces Base Gagetown
- Major Samson Young
Chief Military Personnel
- Gilles St-Pierre, Canadian Forces Base Halifax
Team Award (Assistant Deputy Minister (Science & Technology) (ADM(S&T))
- Janin Huard
- Bryan Labbé
- Victoria Totten
- Sue Viel
- Patrick Haché
The ADM(S&T) Team also includes five other members working in the National Capital Region.
These members contributed to the success of the team and will be recognized for their contribution by the ADM(S&T) leadership at a later date:
- Nathalie Richard
- Diana Correia
- Lindsay Nadeau
- Julie Keogh
- Alison Heard
In addition, ADM(S&T) staff member, Patricia Ledoux, was presented with an Excellence and Leadership in Official Languages Award by Ms. Guylaine F. Roy, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie and the Co-Chairs of the Committee of Assistant Deputy Ministers on Official Languages, as part of a special Government of Canada ceremony in Ottawa on the same day.
Panel Discussion
The National Defence ceremony also featured a panel of experts, including
Vice-Admiral H.C. Edmundson, Commander Military Personnel Command, and Ms. Isabelle Desmartis, ADM(S&T) – Defence Team Official Languages Champions, Ms. Johanne Morin, Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages and Mr. Jérémie Séror, University of Ottawa Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute, who discussed ways to instill a culture of bilingualism in the Defence Team. Defence Team members posed questions in person and online through Sli.do.
