Question Period Note: Interpreter Health and Safety and Interpretation Capacity at the Translation Bureau

One of the Translation Bureau’s missions is to provide interpretation services to Parliament. Its ability to do so has been compromised in recent years by the worldwide shortage of interpreters and health and safety incidents related to sound quality among interpreters. The Translation Bureau has implemented several measures to strengthen its interpretation capacity and protect interpreters.

• In collaboration with its partners, the Translation Bureau continues to innovate and draw on expert advice and best practices in Canada and abroad to provide optimal interpretation services to Parliament as well as federal departments and agencies, and optimal protection to its interpreters

If pressed on health and safety:

• Occupational health and safety is Public Services and Procurement Canada’s priority
• For several years now, the Translation Bureau has been working to address sound-related incidents that may affect interpreters, in collaboration with its partners and sound and hearing experts
• Thanks to the measures put in place, the number of incidents has decreased
• However, the Translation Bureau remains very concerned about the incidents that continue to occur. It will continue its efforts to better understand and prevent sound-related risks for interpreters, with a view to continuous improvement

If pressed on implementing the measures following the direction delivered on April 25, 2024:

• In a working environment where complex and diverse audio equipment is used, there is always the possibility of feedback, and the Translation Bureau takes this possibility and its consequences for interpreters very seriously
• Most cases of feedback are the result of human error in handling the equipment
• Thanks to the ongoing efforts of the Translation Bureau and its parliamentary partners, the implementation of additional measures was accelerated in order to respond quickly to the direction, which was closed the following day
• The Translation Bureau will continue to refine its interpreter protection measures and its incident prevention, management and follow-up protocols, with a view to continuous improvement

If pressed on capacity:

• Occupational health and safety incidents, the global interpreter shortage and increased demand in recent years have disrupted the Translation Bureau’s interpretation capacity
• The Translation Bureau is able to meet Parliament’s regular needs. Nevertheless, it is making every effort to increase its capacity in order to cover an even greater number of meetings and to meet last-minute requests
• Among other things, the Translation Bureau works with the Canadian language sector to support and expand the teaching of interpretation, and to foster the next generation of interpreters
• Following the Budget 2024 announcements, the Translation Bureau will develop an interpretation scholarship program, and will work with the academic community and other federal agencies to put the program in place

Parliament’s interpretation needs

The Translation Bureau serves Parliament on a priority basis. It works closely with the House and Senate administrations, which determine where resources are assigned according to their respective priorities.

New direction and mitigation plan

Following a case of feedback that affected interpreters on April 8, 2024, the Translation Bureau was directed on April 25, 2024 by Employment and Social Development Canada’s Labour Program to protect interpreters from exposure to feedback.
Behavioural, technological and physical measures were put in place as of April 29:

• earpieces used to hear interpreters have been replaced by models that offer better protection against feedback when placed close to an open microphone;
• unused earpieces are disconnected before the start of each committee meeting, and the number of microphones open at the same time is kept to a minimum;
• the distance between microphones in committee rooms has been increased, depending on the properties of the room;
• instructions to participants on how to avoid feedback have been improved

On April 26, 2024, the Labour Program declared itself satisfied with the measures, rescinded the danger notice and closed the direction.

Directions dated February 1, 2023

On February 1, 2023, Employment and Social Development Canada’s Labour Program directed the Translation Bureau to:

• Ensure that the interpretation work is done only when virtual participants are wearing an ISO-compliant microphone;
• Commission random tests in work situations in parliamentary committee rooms and implement experts’ recommendations

On August 25, 2023, the Labour Program declared that the Translation Bureau had taken the necessary measures, and closed the file.

Pilot project with the House of Commons Administration

The Translation Bureau is piloting with the House of Commons Administration the provision of interpretation by interpreters located off the parliamentary premises, enabling it to use freelancers located outside the National Capital Region to better meet Parliament’s needs.

Sound-related incidents and measures in place

A feedback event occurred at 2:50 pm on June 10, 2024 in the House of Commons. Protocol was followed, interpreters stopped interpreting, and since the feedback was moderate to loud, two interpreters were removed from the booth for 24 hours. The Bureau provides interpreters with audiological assessment services following an acoustic incident.

A back-up team was called in to replace the interpreters who had been inconvenienced, and interpretation service resumed in the House of Commons after a suspension of around 40 minutes. The Translation Bureau is closely monitoring the situation, and is analyzing the cause of this incident with its colleagues at the House of Commons.

The Translation Bureau fights against sound-related incidents that can affect interpreters. Thanks to the measures put in place, the Translation Bureau noted a 40% decrease in sound-related incidents in 2023 compared with 2022. In the first four months of 2024 alone, there was a 70% reduction compared with 2023.

There was a 40% decrease in sound-related incidents in 2023 compared with 2022. In the first four months of 2024 there was a 70% reduction compared with 2023