<div dir="ltr">
<h1 class="">
Calgary alderman calls plain language policy the 'realm of ridiculous'
</h1>
The city is erasing jargon in favour of simpler verbiage as
politicians backed a policy to make municipal communications more user
friendly.
<p> </p>
<p>The Priorities and Finance Committee approved the Plain Language
Policy Tuesday, which will see bureaucrats use a conversational tone,
speak directly to intended audience and provide information that helps
meet Calgarians’ needs.</p>
<p>According to the policy, information is in plain language when it is clear, concise, well-organized and easily understood.</p>
<p>The policy was drafted following a notice of motion by Ald. Druh
Farrell asking for simpler language and plain communication within the
city.</p>
<p>While the majority of the committee approved the policy, Ald. Diane
Colley-Urquhart gave it a thumbs down saying the rule is “disparaging”
to Calgarians.</p>
<p>She also said spending staff time to come up with such a policy is a waste of city resources.</p>
<p>“There are so many important, complex issues for us to deal with that
when matters like this come along I think Calgarians really question
what we’re doing and why we need to waste administration’s time on
writing policy on something like this and having an audit done on plain
language,” she said.</p>
<p>“This really has gone to the realm of ridiculous in my view.</p>
<p>“We just have to stop this sort of nonsense.”</p>
<p>Colley-Urquhart said there’s no need to dumb down documents
bureaucrats produce because a majority of them are already simple and if
Calgarians need to clarify something they can always call and ask
questions.</p>
<p>Mayor Naheed Nenshi said even politicians often ask questions on the chamber floor on reports that weren’t clearly written.</p>
<p>“I don’t think that this is a matter of spending more time writing
the report, it’s just a matter of making these reports comprehensible to
the average person,” he said.</p>
<p>Farrell agreed with Nenshi noting it’s not simply about “dumbing down” the city’s communications, but about being inclusive.</p>
<p>She said when talking to new council members, the use of technical terms made them feel like outsiders.</p>
<p>“That’s what we’re trying to eliminate the insider vs. the outsider, exclusive, alienating language,” Farrell said.</p>
<p>She said the policy will help “communicate better in every way when it is possible.”</p>
<p>About 300 employees have started training on how to communicate in
plain language following an audit, which found that city documents were
written at Grade 11 level, which was four grades above the Grade 7 level
that will reach most general audiences.</p>
<p>Council still needs to approve the policy before it is enforced.</p>
<p><a>renato.gandia@sunmedia.ca</a></p><a href="http://www.calgarysun.com/2013/05/14/calgary-alderman-calls-plain-language-policy-the-realm-of-ridiculous">http://www.calgarysun.com/2013/05/14/calgary-alderman-calls-plain-language-policy-the-realm-of-ridiculous</a><br clear="all">
<br>-- <br>**************************************<br>N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to its members<br>and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner or sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents. Members who disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal, and to write directly to the original sender of any offensive message. A copy of this may be forwarded to this list as well. (H. Schiffman, Moderator)<br>
<br>For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to <a href="https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/">https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/</a><br>listinfo/lgpolicy-list<br>*******************************************
</div>