I heard about this a couple of weeks ago - here is the direction that my Formation has just issued:
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New Government of Canada-wide Standards for Emails and Bilingual Signature BlocksAs part of the Treasury Board Secretariat’s Common Look and Feel Standards for the Internet 2.0, all DND/CF users must implement a new signature block and all email addresses must be changed to comply with the new standards by 31 December 2008.
This site is designed to provide all DND/CF users with the information they need to understand the changes being made to their email addresses resulting from this new direction.
It also provides users with useful tips and instructions to follow to ensure that they comply with government standards and that there is no impact to their email communications.
Changes to DND/CF Email Addresses as of 1 November 2008For several years, DND and the CF have used the following naming convention for all external email addresses:
lastname.initials@forces.gc.ca. On 1 November 2008, DND/CF will adopt the Treasury Board Secretariat standard, which all departments are required to follow. This new standard will result in new external email addresses for all DND/CF members with the first name being used in place of initials as follows:
firstname.lastname@forces.gc.ca. Each user will automatically receive a new email address. The email addresses displayed internally will remain unchanged, e.g. Lastname initials@your organization @your geographic location.
DND Standard Email Addresses Example Examples
Old Email Address
lastname.initials@forces.gc.ca johnston.bk@forces.gc.ca New Email Address
firstname.lastname@forces.gc.ca barbara.johnston@forces.gc.ca The old email address will continue to function until 1 November 2009, and users will continue to receive all emails sent to their old or new e-mail address during this 12-month period. Both BlackBerry devices and PKI will continue to function normally.
Changes to DND/CF Email Signature Blocks effective 31 December 2008With the use of email as a communication tool for delivering Government of Canada information, the source and type of contact information at both institutional and individual levels must be clearly identified. Public servants who provide information via email cannot make assumptions regarding the end-use of information. Thus, the Treasury Board Secretariat now stipulates that all email messages must contain enough information to identify the individual and the government institution s/he represents as well as full contact information to facilitate further communication via various methods such as telephone, facsimile or postal mail. The new signature block standard is also fully bilingual.
All emails sent to addresses outside the Government of Canada shall be signed with a standardized bilingual signature block. Each individual must update his or her signature block to the new standard by 31 December 2008.
For more examples of signature blocks, please see the signature block templates.
New DND Standard Email Signature Blocks Example (DND Facilities/Offices Outside Québec, CF Member)
New DND Standard Email Signature Blocks Example (DND Facilities/Offices Outside Québec, CF Member)
First and last name Raymond Martin
Rank Master Corporal | Caporal-chef
Title (optional) Communications Officer | Agent en communications
Directorate IM Gp Communications | Communications du Gp GI
Branch Information Management Group | Groupe de gestion de l'information
Department National Defence | Défense nationale
Mail Address Ottawa, Canada K1A 0K2
Email address
Raymond.Martin@forces.gc.caTelephone Telephone | Téléphone 613-999-9999
Fax Facsimile | Télécopieur 613-999-9999
Teletypewriter Teletypewriter (National Defence) | Téléimprimeur (Défense nationale) 1-800-467-9877
GoC Government of Canada | Gouvernement du Canada
