Ottawa, Ontario, June 12, 2013 – On behalf of more than 50 stakeholders, the Canadian Translators, Terminologists, and Interpreters Council (CTTIC) is pleased to announce the formation of the Canadian Coalition on Community Interpreting (CCCI). Community interpreting is bidirectional oral translation or sign language interpreting used in Canada by professionals in the public settings such as healthcare and social services to deliver services to limited-English and limited-French speakers.
As a pan-Canadian alliance made up of key industry stakeholders, CCCI will lead an organized national approach to professionalizing the community interpreting field. The Coalition has already begun working nationally to:
- Establish common ground around existing practices and activities,
- Create a foundation and framework for professionalization,
- Assist regulatory bodies to establish standards for certification.
Creating a national foundation for the professionalization and recognition of the community interpreter will help all public service providers (e.g. doctors, social workers, etc.) deliver safe and effective services. Professional community interpreters can ensure that limited-English and limited-French speakers or deaf or hard of hearing clients receive the same high quality services as do English or French speakers. A pan-Canadian approach will establish the national framework for the professionalization of community interpreting.
The community interpreting sector in all its forms is not just the backbone of public services to Canada’s culturally and linguistically diverse populations; it ensures equal access to public services for all linguistic groups.
Stakeholder involvement is key to the success of the CCCI. The Coalition is comprised of strong stakeholder participation across all regions of Canada and includes a wide range of representatives in the community interpreting field, such as interpreters, interpreting service providers, professional associations, academic institutions, and sectors that rely on interpreters to provide services to the public.
Background:
Under the lead of the Language Industry Association (AILIA) and Humber College, a meeting of community interpretation stakeholders was held on July 31, 2012. It was at that meeting the stakeholders representing professional associations, interpreter service agencies, community colleges, community agencies and government departments that a decision was made to create and support a national coalition to advance community interpretation in Canada. At a subsequent national teleconference held on September 14, 2012, it was decided that the Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council (CTTIC) would coordinate such initiative on an interim basis.
If you require further information, please send an email to CTTIC at info@cttic.org