The federal government’s increasing use of artificial intelligence for translation services may threaten the French language and will “1,000 per cent” affect more than 1,300 employees in the Translation Bureau, say critics of the strategy.
The union that represents translators estimates 339 workers will lose their jobs.
As well, while there will likely be more efficiencies and flexibility, one expert cautions that without human supervision, translation accuracy is at risk.
On Sept. 25, the federal government announced GCtranslate, a new AI translation tool being tested across six departments and agencies to improve productivity.
In June, an earlier version, referred to as PSPC Translate, was in effect for three months. Public Services and Procurement Canada reported more than 60 million words or 3,000 document pages were translated each workday.
GCtranslate has become one of PSPC’s most used tools, spokesperson Michèle LaRose told Capital Current. She said the tool aims to compliment translation services, such as routine business documents, and allow translators to direct their expertise towards “complex, high-value government content.”
The AI move is part of a broader approach to boost efficiency while streamlining the public service. On Nov. 4, the budget revealed plans to slash 16,000 positions in the bureaucracy over three years, and 28,000 more by 2029.
The budget also revealed $1 billion will be spent on optimizing Canada’s AI use across the federal government over five years, as part of a larger AI integration strategy.
Fears over French being “diluted”
“Outsourcing” part of translators’ work to AI sacrifices quality, said Antoine Hersberger, vice-president of the Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE), which represents translators and interpreters.
“Let’s say someone is doing their taxes, and they’re trying to see if they’re admissible to a specific tax credit. If that explanation has been … translated by AI without any human involved, there’s a good chance the person might miss out on that tax credit because the explanation wasn’t clear or entirely accurate,” he said.
“Since the vast majority of translations are from English into French, we know that it’s mainly going to be francophones that will find themselves in these kinds of situations.”
Ryan Williams, a former MP from the Bay of Quinte, is worried AI translation will lead to bilingualism being treated as an “afterthought.” He said French must be strengthened rather than “diluted.”
“If we’re using it to fully replace people it is irresponsible, considering the importance of the French language in Canada and how it needs to be upheld,” he said.
The threat to job security for public servant translators is “1,000 per cent” real, he said.
Hersberger says there needs to be a greater interest in protecting the French language. “If the government really wants to show it cares about bilingualism, it should invest in the Translation Bureau to improve the quality of French rather than actively participating in the race to the bottom.”
On Sept. 25, CAPE raised concerns with Bloc Québécois MPs about the strain translators will face because of cuts and AI tools replacing human translators.
“If the government adequately funded the Translation Bureau … it wouldn’t be a source of administrative process slowdowns,” Hersberger said.
“It could be a hub of innovation where professionals, often with decades of translation experience, can take advantage of the best of new technologies, without sacrificing the quality that is the foundation of Canadian bilingualism.”
Last year, Commissioner of Official Languages Raymond Théberge wrote to the President of the Treasury Board pointing out problems regarding bias, risk of error and hindering French language use with the use of AI.
While stressing that AI should not weaken services in either languages, he said he welcomed tools like GCtranslate, noting its ability to “support translation” and “language learning.”
But Théberge warned AI translations can “miss cultural nuances,” as these tools often rely on English data, which can produce bias and “impact the equitable use of French.”
LaRose said PSPC reported a “noticeable increase in French-to-English translations,” since the implementation of the tool.
Job security concerns
On Nov. 20, an Angus Reid Institute survey found 86 per cent of Canadians think “AI will cause more job losses than jobs that are created because of it.”
“I think we always need to be mindful and cognitive about what the government is trying to do, especially with AI because I have no confidence at this point that the government will do it right,” Williams said.
Elizabeth Marshman is an associate professor in the School of Translation and Interpretation at the University of Ottawa. She said AI is already handling minor translation tasks, separate from work done by public servants and believes the same may be done with GCtranslate.
“I am not sure exactly where we will land in the end in terms of net job changes, gains or losses, but I do not fear the elimination of human language professionals any time soon,” she said.
AI reliability
Williams said there is, “no shortage of work to improve government processes” and AI translation tools can help with speed, but he said AI works best alongside humans who provide oversight.
Marshman says in some cases, where nuance is required, AI may not be the appropriate choice and could lead to “communication” and “safety issues.”
“I do believe that important public-facing documents do need to be reviewed by qualified and capable humans to be sure we are sending the right message on both levels, in a way that will get it across effectively,” Marshman said.
She said she hopes the federal government recognizes this level of risk and works to minimize it.
At the same time, Williams said AI tools present a possibility to “enrich” the language. “I think it allows French to be used more often. It’s allowing educational tools so that we can teach our children more French. … That’s going to be the best result — that we … maintain our bilingualism in Canada,” he said.
Marshman added AI can be used to promote use of French.
“By making sure users are aware of limitations, we can encourage them to continue to learn and explore languages. Tools such as machine translation and genAI can even be used in creative ways to support language learning, provided that they are presented realistically and used responsibly.”
A look ahead
“It is very impressive to hear about the number of pages that can be churned out by such tools every working day. However, without the assurance that there are skilled human resources to monitor this output and ensure it is meeting needs, that kind of figure does not guarantee effective communication,” Marshman said.
“I do hope that there is a solid plan for careful evaluation and monitoring, most especially in these initial phases, so that we have a realistic view of performance and can make decisions based on that.”
More feedback on GCtranslate’s integration in the public service workforce is to come and the federal AI strategy will be revisited in 2027 to evaluate effectiveness.
