In my humble opinion, bringing in the Minister of Official Languages would clarify the rights and obligations of businesses under federal jurisdiction. Of course, Canada Post is a public corporation, at arm’s length from the government. Nevertheless, there are laws to uphold.
It would be interesting to have the minister appear and find out to what extent the Official Languages Act can be applied, and how it can comply with Quebec’s linguistic status, which is different. I would point out that the official language of Quebec is French. I think it would be appropriate for the committee to hear the minister speak on this subject and ask him how he is ensuring compliance with the Official Languages Act.
The minister won’t be able to explain Canada Post’s decision, of course, but he can easily make the connection with the Official Languages Act, which is important too.
It is important to maintain the status of French in Quebec and see how things can be reconciled on both sides. We need to be able to make recommendations that address all aspects of the problem. On the one hand, Canada Post’s representatives can explain the decision to us. On the other hand, we can get explanations regarding the Official Languages Act and conduct an in-depth, comprehensive analysis of the matter.