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| The director of the University of Ottawa's School of Translation and Interpretation, Dr. Jean Delisle (right) presents books to Michel Cardinal, chief executive officer of the Translation Bureau, a few moments after both men signed a new training agreement. |
The University of Ottawa is a pioneer of translation education in Canada. Jean Delisle, director of the School of Translation and Interpretation, recently reflected on those beginnings. In 1936, it was Pierre Daviault, then editor of the Parliamentary Debates, who proposed the creation of the very first translation course at the University of Ottawa.
Since that time, collaboration initiatives between the University and the Translation Bureau have multiplied, not only in translation, but also in terminology and interpretation. On September 17, 2003, these two long-time partners signed a five-year renewal of an agreement first concluded in April 1998 to train individuals to become conference interpreters.
The University of Ottawa’s Master in Conference Interpretation (MCI) is the only one of its kind in Canada. “No where else are conference interpreters being trained. This is quite surprising given we are a bilingual country where there are a dozen or so schools of translation,” said Delisle.
He gives a simple explanation for this phenomenon. “A program for interpreters is expensive and addresses a limited clientele. In all honesty, our School could not offer such a program without the help of the Translation Bureau.”
“This program has been placed among the top six programs in the world by the Association of Professional Conference Interpreters Worldwide (AIIC). Last year AIIC scrutinized 44 programs that trained interpreters,” added Delisle.
“Due to our programs in general, and the interpretation program specifically, the University of Ottawa really is Canada’s university by distinction, l’Université canadienne,” Delisle said. “Translation is truly one of the essential elements of the political entity we call Canada and bilingualism one of the pillars of the University of Ottawa. To a certain degree, the University of Ottawa is the Canadian ideal in this field.”
