Parliament Hill interpreters concerned over translation quality if feds hire non-accredited staff
Parliamentary interpreters say the quality of translation and health of bilingual debate in the House of Commons could suffer if the government follows through on its plan to bring in non-accredited interpreters.
The House Administration, which oversees financial and administrative policy relating to the House of Commons, plans to bring in freelance interpreters, who are not accredited by the Translation Bureau of Canada, until the end of the fall session as part of a pilot project to help meet the demand for translators, amid an apparent shortage.
A new survey of 92 interpreters who are qualified to work for the federal government’s Translation Bureau shows nearly three quarters of those without an open contract have not been asked to take on that work.
Hill interpreters are tasked with live translating parliamentary business, including debates in the House of Commons and committee meetings, as well as translating all documentation, including bills, acts, correspondence, and reports.
And the International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC) states a House of Commons plan to recruit freelance interpreters without Translation Bureau accreditation to meet the needs will reduce the quality of service, therefore risking the level of bilingual debate.
“The House of Commons is creating a ‘B’ team of interpreters who have not proven they meet the high-quality standards required until now in Parliament,” said AIIC-Canada spokesperson Nicole Gagnon, in a release by the organization Wednesday.
Gagnon called the decision by House administration “misguided,” and said there are several “inefficiencies” that need to be resolved.
She added no credible institution, including the United Nations and the European Parliament, would bring on freelance interpreters who have not sat an exam, as the Canadian government’s pilot project would allow.
The AIIC survey shows that despite an apparent challenge by the Translation Bureau to meet interpretation needs, only some accredited interpreters have been offered Parliamentary assignments in the last six months.
“There are many accredited freelancers who are ready, willing and better able to serve in Parliament,” Gagnon said. “The House of Commons is needlessly jeopardizing the quality of bilingual discourse of its proceedings by bringing in suppliers who are not qualified by Translation Bureau standards.”
Public Services and Procurement Canada, which umbrellas the Translation Bureau, says the House Administration makes decisions about resources, including how many interpreters are needed and where.
Public Services and Procurement Canada spokesperson Michèle LaRose wrote in an email to CTVNews.ca Wednesday that the agency works exclusively with accredited interpreters, and prioritizes those with open contracts.
“To be given an assignment with Parliament, accredited freelance interpreters must have the necessary security clearance and be willing to travel if they are located outside the National Capital Region,” LaRose wrote.
The Translation Bureau was not immediately available for comment.
Meanwhile the House voted in June to continue its hybrid model — which allows MPs to participate in House debates and committee meetings virtually, and vote from anywhere in Canada — but parliamentary interpreters say the system causes them issues.
Many have voiced concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic that the sound quality while working on a hybrid model has impacted their work and caused workplace injuries.
The AIIC survey shows more than two thirds of respondents rated the working conditions in virtual Parliament to be either average or below average, specifically when it comes to their quality of service.
And while half the interpreters surveyed who have worked in Parliament in the past say they’re unlikely to take a job that doesn’t involve them working in person on the Hill, three quarters of them say they’re concerned about sound quality on the Hill. More than half of respondents say they’ve reduced the number of assignments they accept on the Hill for that reason.
IN DEPTH
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Trudeau, key election players to testify at foreign interference hearings. What you need to know
The public hearings portion of the federal inquiry into foreign interference in Canadian elections and democratic institutions are picking back up this week. Here's what you need to know.
Who is supporting, opposing new online harms bill?
Now that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's sweeping online harms legislation is before Parliament, allowing key stakeholders, major platforms, and Canadians with direct personal experience with abuse to dig in and see what's being proposed, reaction is streaming in. CTVNews.ca has rounded up reaction, and here's how Bill C-63 is going over.
As Poilievre sides with Smith on trans restrictions, former Conservative candidate says he's 'playing with fire'
Siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
TREND LINE What Nanos' tracking tells us about Canadians' mood, party preference heading into 2024
Heading into a new year, Canadians aren't feeling overly optimistic about the direction the country is heading, with the number of voters indicating negative views about the federal government's performance at the highest in a decade, national tracking from Nanos Research shows.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Iran fires air defence batteries in provinces as sound of explosions heard near Isfahan
Iran fired air defence batteries early Friday morning after reports of explosions near the city of Isfahan, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.
Local Spotlight
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Molly on a mission: N.S. student collecting books about women in sport for school library
Molly Knight, a grade four student in Nova Scotia, noticed her school library did not have many books on female athletes, so she started her own book drive in hopes of changing that.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
Marmot in the city: New resident of North Vancouver's Lower Lonsdale a 'rock star rodent'
When Les Robertson was walking home from the gym in North Vancouver's Lower Lonsdale neighbourhood three weeks ago, he did a double take. Standing near a burrow it had dug in a vacant lot near East 1st Street and St. Georges Avenue was a yellow-bellied marmot.
Relocated seal returns to Greater Victoria after 'astonishing' 204-kilometre trek
A moulting seal who was relocated after drawing daily crowds of onlookers in Greater Victoria has made a surprise return, after what officials described as an 'astonishing' six-day journey.
Ottawa barber shop steps away from Parliament Hill marks 100 years in business
Just steps from Parliament Hill is a barber shop that for the last 100 years has catered to everyone from prime ministers to tourists.
'It was a special game': Edmonton pinball player celebrates high score and shout out from game designer
A high score on a Foo Fighters pinball machine has Edmonton player Dave Formenti on a high.
'How much time do we have?': 'Contamination' in Prairie groundwater identified
A compound used to treat sour gas that's been linked to fertility issues in cattle has been found throughout groundwater in the Prairies, according to a new study.
'Why not do it together?': Lifelong friends take part in 'brosectomy' in Vancouver
While many people choose to keep their medical appointments private, four longtime friends decided to undergo vasectomies as a group in B.C.'s Lower Mainland.