From Inspiration to Commercialization

Montreal, February 19, 2007 – It is our pleasure to announce that Mr. Gonzalo Peralta has been appointed to fill the newly created position of President of the Language Industry Association (AILIA). Mr. Peralta assumed his duties on February 1, 2007. In addition to managing AILIA's day-to-day activities, his mandate will be to foster members' business activities by suggesting beneficial government policies and creating strategic alliances.

Mr. Alain Chamsi, Chairman of AILIA's Board of Directors, stated: "We are happy that Mr. Peralta has joined our team. His experience and industry knowledge are major assets for the Association."

Mr. Peralta has worked in the language industry for 25 years, which has provided him with vast experience. He has filled a number of positions in the translation, language technology and language training sectors, including that of President and CEO of The BabelFish Corporation. Moreover, as a consultant with Convivium Corporation, Mr. Peralta prepared a wide-ranging study of export markets that led to the development of an export strategy for language industry businesses.

The Language Industry Association is a non-profit association whose mission is to promote the Canadian language industry and enhance its competitiveness on both the national and international markets, by actively playing its role as its spokesperson, by sharing information, and by supporting the development of quality standards.

For more information:

Julie Gauthier
Communications Agent – AILIA
514-285-6596
jgauthier@ailia.ca

Many Canadians are unable to read documents or complete forms produced by the government. They are simply unable to understand them because the language in which such documents and forms are written is often too complicated. According to the 2003 International Adult Literacy and Skills Survey, 48% of Canadians (approximately 12 million people) have trouble understanding administrative communication, as do 82% of seniors. According to the survey Towards Action – Issues and Challenges of Communicating with Canadians with Low Literacy Skills, commissioned by the Government of Canada in 2003, 34% of people with little education find government information too complicated and make no further effort to understand it. Obviously, there is a great deal to be done to ensure clarity in communications with the public.

The Translation Bureau has decided to tackle this problem by devoting an entire section to plain language in the Language Nook. The Language Nook is a self-learning tool designed to help federal government employees hone their English or French language skills at their own pace. The new section will be updated regularly and will eventually contain an array of tools and guidelines to help users write more clearly.

The Bureau will also publish a series of articles on plain language in Language Update.

What’s more, the Bureau has hired Michel Gauthier, a former Revenue Canada project officer, to lead the plain language initiative. Some 15 years ago, he recognized the need to understand how people with low literacy levels process information and set out to simplify government documents for them. Since then, he has become a champion of literacy and plain language issues. Mr. Gauthier has determined that if the government produced texts that the majority of Canadians could understand, it could save a lot of money – up to 35% of its operating budget.

Mr. Gauthier’s many accomplishments include researching literacy levels and the needs of people with little education; speaking at conferences and giving presentations nationwide to raise writers’ awareness of their clients’ needs; and developing and implementing a correspondence system. He has even created a tool for assessing the complexity of reading and calculation tasks. In essence, he has devoted thousands of hours to his passion.

Over the years, Mr. Gauthier has been recognized a number of times for his outstanding work. Most notably, he has received the top award from the Governor General of Canada and the award for Staff Service Excellence. He has become the government authority on plain language, and the Bureau is honoured to be able to count on his expertise.

Register now!

From May 2 to 4, 2007, the University du Québec en Outaouais (UQO) will host the Terminologie : approches transdisciplinaires symposium at the Alexandre-Taché pavillon in Gatineau, Québec. At what will be the most important French-language symposium on terminology in too many years, participants will take a contemporary look at a discipline that is becoming increasingly inter-related with many other fields and will examine the principles, methods, practices, applications, tool and teaching of terminology, terminology planning, innovation and companies, and labour market expectations. In short, the symposium will provide a captivating panorama of a field that is being redefined.

The event will include an inaugural lecture and plenary lectures by renowned speakers, workshops, round tables and exhibitors. More than 80 papers will be presented. Participants will be able to look at all facets of terminology and discuss its current state and its future.

Registration deadline: April 15, 2007

Further information: www.uqo.ca/terminologie2007

Or

UQO University – Milieu Liaison Office
Telephone: 819 773-1806
Toll-free: 1-800-567-1283, extension 1806

XStream Software Quebec Inc (XQSI), a subsidiary of XStream Software Inc (XSI), was specifically created in November 2005 for the development of cutting-edge e-learning solutions and the precommercialization of its new avant-garde products and services.

XQSI’s well-established parent company, XStream Software Inc, which was founded in 1998, operates in two main areas that complement each other: the development of knowledge transfer products and the design and transfer of custom technology designed to be integrated into third-party equipment or software. A leader in its field, the enterprise is constantly expanding its activities in a number of countries to respond to e-learning technology needs that have arisen as a result of globalization and offshoring, particularly in the area of second-language learning. One has only to think of the rise of China and India in world markets to grasp the level of potential openings.

The young company develops its products and services in its Gatineau office, and its team of researchers is benefiting from the LTRC’s enterprise development program and its many advantages. The City of Gatineau and its region will be the first to reap the positive benefits of this partnership.

On January 24, the Language Technologies Research Centre (LTRC) signed a memorandum of understanding with Développement économique - CLD Gatineau (DE–CLDG), the municipality’s economic development arm, to establish an investment fund for the LTRC under the DE–CLDG’s Clusters of Excellence Support Fund program. The organization started the fund off with an initial contribution of $250,000, as a signal for other investors to come on board.

The fund, created just as the LTRC had completed its strategic plan, will provide the Centre with a major impetus and make it a magnet by enabling it to widen the scope of its services to companies in the region, attract companies and businesses and develop a language technology cluster.

The LTRC provides companies with capital, facilities and services as well as the technical support they need to develop national and international markets.

This concrete step taken by the DE–CLDG will create a synergy that will attract other investors from the public and private sectors; it will also provide the LTRC with the impetus to play a central role in developing Gatineau as a world centre for language technology.

Go to the website