The officer replied that the system had not been updated and did not reflect changes in Canadian law and in society. “I told him it was inappropriate. She replied that we had no other choice. Graham MacDonnell therefore agreed to pretend to be the mother. “

When Nick Bonnar went to the Service Canada office, the officer told him that he had to provide the mother’s maiden name in order to complete the electronic form. “The name of Graham [MacDonnell, his spouse] was there and I said that the information about him was correct. But he is not the mother, “says Nick Bonnar.

Doesn’t that just break your heart? Doesn’t it just bring tears to your eyes? Duclos responded to this human rights violation with the following:

He is also urging people who have had similar problems with Service Canada to contact his department.”

“The Minister responsible for Service Canada, Jean-Yves Duclos, indicates that the department has just seen the problem. “Certainly, it does not reflect the values ​​and conditions that prevail in Canada in 2018. It also shows that we still have a lot of work to do to meet the expectations of Canadians,” said the minister.

That was in January, and now here we are in March with the problem being rectified, Justin to the rescue! As reported by Radio Canada.

The government’s objective is clear: to avoid giving the impression that federal officials have a “gender or gender bias”.

“It is important that Service Canada, as an organization, be a reflection of Canada’s diverse population to ensure that the views and interests of Canadians are taken into account when developing policies, programs, programs and services or initiatives, “reads” Notes for Managers and Team Leaders to Meet Their Employees on the Use of Gender-Neutral Language “, which Radio-Canada has obtained. copy.

The notes cite as examples the terms “mother” and “father” which are the terms of specific gender, can we read; we must now use the term “parent”.

Same story for titles of civility as “sir”, “madam” and “miss”. Public servants must therefore address clients by their full name or ask them how they prefer to be addressed to them.

According to an official who asked to remain anonymous to avoid reprisals, the new directive leads to difficult situations for civil servants.

“Some customers feel less respected,” he said. Older people expect us to be polite. There, you have to call them by their first name and their name, and that, it’s a little bothering them. ”

The new directive has also led to certain imbroglios when it comes to obtaining certain information necessary for the resolution of cases.

“It happens to us to talk to people and say,” What is your # 1 parent’s name? ” And we are entitled to silence, people do not understand, “said this person who also regrets the fact of not having been consulted beforehand.

The directive that the CBC has obtained also states that public servants will have to make sure to use neutral language, since its use “will be added to the observations of the program of monitoring the quality of services in person”.

Computer modification

In addition to changes to customer service, Service Canada has amended the Social Insurance Number application form. There is no longer any question here of “father” and “mother” but of “parent”.

Service Canada is in the process of reforming computer systems to reflect these changes. The change “will take longer”.

Applicants must still complete the mandatory fields: “Mother’s First Name”, “Mother’s Mother’s Name at Birth”, “Father’s First Name” and “Father’s Family Name at Birth”.

Controversy over gender

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in controversy last month at a public meeting in Edmonton where he said he preferred the word ” peoplekind ” to ” mankind “.

The remark, which he later called “a bad joke,” earned him criticism both on Parliament Hill in Ottawa and abroad.

Some had derided the Prime Minister’s “inclusive” language: the word “humanity” in English, referring directly to the man (” man “).