Terms of Reference: External Advisory Panel on the Creation and Dissemination of Scientific Information in French

The External Advisory Group on the Creation and Dissemination of Scientific Information in French is one of the initiatives of the Action Plan for Official Languages 2023–2028: Protection-Promotion-Collaboration and is part of the federal government's commitment to improve the French-language research ecosystem in Canada.

1. Background

There are many challenges facing the creation and dissemination of scientific information in French in Canada. Francophone researchers, particularly those outside Quebec, face significant difficulties in producing and publishing their work in French due to the fragility of the research or researcher-support infrastructure, the lack of resources available to them, and the predominant influence of English (ACFAS, 2021). To help address these challenges, Action Plan for Official Languages 2023–2028 invests $8.5 million over five years in the French-language research ecosystem in Canada, including through the work of an external advisory panel that will be examining the dynamics of creating and disseminating scientific knowledge in French.

2. Terms of Reference

The External Advisory Panel on the Creation and Dissemination of Scientific Information in French (Advisory Panel) will provide advice and recommendations to the Minister responsible for Official Languages, informing the development of a federal strategy for ensuring the long-term viability of the French-language scientific research ecosystem in Canada.

3. Deliverables, activities and work

The Advisory Panel will produce a final report and present its principal findings to the Minister responsible for Official Languages by March 31, 2026. The report will:

• include an executive summary;
• present the Advisory Panel’s Terms of Reference and how it went about consulting the stakeholders relevant to its Terms of Reference;
• explain the context and challenges facing the French-language scientific research ecosystem in Canada, including by drawing on:
  • evidence, studies, scientific publications and expert reports on the current situation;
  • information gathered during meetings with stakeholders relevant to the Terms of Reference;
• present recommendations and options informing the development of a federal strategy in support of the creation and dissemination of scientific information in French—these recommendations should:
  • evaluate existing and yet-to-be-developed levers, as well as measures taken in Canada or, for benchmarking purposes, elsewhere in the world, to support scientific knowledge in French or to promote minority languages in science, including opportunities and challenges related to machine translation of scientific texts and the use of artificial intelligence;
  • consider the realities and challenges specific to different research fields and scientific disciplines, and to different research contexts, including linguistic contexts and research environments;
  • consider the particularities of: producing and disseminating scientific information, including translation issues; evaluating and funding research; training the next generation of Francophone scientists; popularizing science; and transferring knowledge to French-speaking audiences.

The Advisory Panel will meet regularly for the duration of the work. While most of the meetings will be held virtually, it is envisaged that members will be able to travel to hold face-to-face meetings or meet with stakeholders.

4. Membership

The Advisory Panel comprises ten members, including two co-chairs. Members are selected by the Minister responsible for Official Languages on the recommendation of the Department of Canadian Heritage (Canadian Heritage).

The selection of the members and co-chairs was preceded by direct consultations with national partners and scientific organizations, who were encouraged to submit nominations to Canadian Heritage. The Department then made a recommendation on the basis of merit and representativeness (regions, linguistic contexts, research fields and environments, equity, diversity and inclusion).

The Advisory Panel will be supported in this work by a secretariat (Secretariat) made up of Government of Canada officials.

5. Roles and responsibilities

(i) Co-chairs

The work of the Advisory Panel’s co-chairs will include:

• establishing, in agreement with the Secretariat, a work schedule based on submitting a final report no later than March 31, 2026;
• establishing, in agreement with the Secretariat, how the Advisory Panel is to be organized and how the work is to be shared internally among the members;
• chairing Advisory Panel meetings and leading the discussions;
• coordinating meetings with external stakeholders, with the support of the Secretariat;
• coordinating, with the support of the Secretariat, the production of a presentation and final written report for the Minister responsible for Official Languages detailing the options and recommendations arrived at by the Advisory Panel;
• overseeing the presentation of the report’s principal findings to the Minister responsible for Official Languages.

(ii) Members

The work of the Advisory Panel’s members will include:

• helping identify the themes and issues to be examined as part of the Advisory Panel’s Terms of Reference;
• preparing for working meetings, including by investing the necessary time in thinking about and researching specific issues and themes related to the Advisory Panel’s Terms of Reference;
• helping identify witnesses and stakeholders to be consulted;
• helping prepare for the stakeholder interviews, conducting those interviews, evaluating the evidence gathered and interpreting/analyzing that information in the final report;
• helping draft the final report and presentation to the Minister responsible for Official Languages.

(iii) Secretariat

The Secretariat will provide the co-chairs and members of the Advisory Panel with:

Logistical support

• Organizing meetings: agendas, meeting invitations, management of communications platforms
• Documenting meetings: note-taking, drafting and distribution of official minutes
• Following up on meetings: summaries, coordination of inquiries to other federal departments or agencies
• Supporting the Advisory Panel in organizing the stakeholder interviews

Technical expertise

• Providing technical and factual briefings on items related to the Terms of Reference or any other relevant information
• Gathering information: reports and research, summaries, legal information and other materials
• Answering questions related to the work and studies
• Identifying witnesses or experts to be consulted, where applicable

Administrative support

• Preparing documents: contracts, confidentiality agreements, Terms of Reference
• Exercising financial management: receipt of invoices, payment of expenses and honorariums
• Managing translation and interpretation services
• Formatting the final report and its translation once submitted by the Advisory Panel

6. External experts

With the agreement of the Secretariat, the members of the Advisory Panel may call upon any person with professional, technical or other specialized knowledge to assist them in their work, in an advisory capacity. External experts, too, may be invited to contribute at meetings.

7. Guiding principles

In discharging its Terms of Reference, the Advisory Panel will be governed by the following principles: integrity and non-partisanship; openness, inclusivity and respect for diversity of expertise, viewpoints and experience; collegiality; and efficiency.

8. Non-discrimination

Members will specifically refrain from any unlawful discrimination based on prohibited grounds, such as race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family status, genetic characteristics, disability, and conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been granted or in respect of which a record suspension has been ordered. They will refrain from: discriminating on the basis of language; promoting prejudice, intolerance and/or discrimination; supporting organizations or individuals who share or promote offensive content or speech; or compromising the values in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Canadian Human Rights Act.

9. Conflict of interest

A conflict of interest is a situation in which a member has private interests—his or her own or those of a third party—that could influence the performance of his or her official duties and responsibilities within the Advisory Panel or in which the member uses his or her office for personal gain (or for the benefit of a third party). A conflict of interest may be real, apparent or potential:

• a real conflict of interest exists at the present time;
• an apparent conflict of interest is a situation that could be perceived as a conflict of interest by a reasonable observer, whether or not this is the case; and
• a potential conflict of interest is one that could reasonably be foreseen to happen in the future.

Members must certify that they are free from any conflict of interest—real, apparent or potential—in relation to their role and work within the Advisory Panel. Members will provide advice in a personal capacity only and will avoid any conflict of interest—real, apparent or potential—in relation to their role and work within the Advisory Panel.

Should a real, apparent or potential conflict of interest arise during a member’s term of office, the member must report it to the Secretariat without delay and, if necessary, at the discretion of the Secretariat, recuse himself or herself from any relevant work, discussion or decision. Recusals will be recorded in the minutes of the Advisory Panel’s meetings.

Any member who fails to comply with his or her obligations and responsibilities with respect to conflict of interest will be removed from the Advisory Panel.

10. Confidentiality

All Advisory Panel discussions will be strictly confidential. To ensure that members are able to express themselves freely during meetings and in their advice and analyses, the minutes will not attribute statements to individual members (Chatham House Rule).

The members of the Advisory Panel agree not to use information or materials disclosed or provided to them in their capacity as Advisory Panel members for any purposes other than those provided for in the Terms of Reference, except where such information or materials are clearly in the public domain.

Members will be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement provided by Canadian Heritage before participating in the Advisory Panel. The privacy and confidentiality policies of the Government of Canada will apply.

The obligations set out in this section will survive the expiry or termination of each Panel member’s term of office.

11. Media

To ensure clarity of information and consistency of messaging, Advisory Panel members will refer all media inquiries to Canadian Heritage. Any public announcement or disclosure will be at the discretion of the Minister responsible for Official Languages.

12. Honorariums

Advisory Panel members will receive an honorarium for preparing for and participating in meetings and discussion workshops. Compensation rates, specified in the individual contracts, will be tied to attendance at Panel meetings and meetings with stakeholders, as well as to meeting preparation. Compensation for all travel expenses will be in accordance with the standard rates set out in the National Joint Council Travel Directive. An approved travel authorization is required before any travel booking or arrangements are made.

Related links

• Member of the External Advisory Group on the Creation and Dissemination of Scientific Information in French biographies