Procedure and House Affairs Committee on Oct. 6th, 2022

[André Picotte]

Basically, what I said was that ideally, all meetings should be held in person. Of course we know that hybrid meetings are here for keeps. We're going to have to adapt, but Parliament is also going to have to adapt to the needs of our interpreters and respect their health and safety rights.

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

I agree with you. Thank you.

Prior to the pandemic, or at least before we adopted the hybrid option, witnesses occasionally participated in meetings by telephone.

Is there a difference in sound quality between a telephone call and the Zoom application we are currently using?

[Paule Antonelli, Local 900 Acting President, Interpreters' Representative on Local 900 Council (TR), Canadian Association of Professional Employees]

Madam Chair, I'd like to thank the member for his question.

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Ms. Antonelli, thank you for reminding me that I should have addressed my question to the chair.

My apologies, Madam Chair.

[Paule Antonelli]

The sound that comes in through the telephone is about as bad as it gets for interpreters.

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

So you're saying that the sound through the Zoom application is better.

[Paule Antonelli]

Yes, generally speaking, the sound through Zoom is better.

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Ball, could you help us out on this question?

There have been a number of steps the translation bureau has taken, I think, to try to improve the quality of the sound and the conditions in which the interpreters work. This was brought to us in the testimony that we had earlier this week. I know you spoke to it in your presentation. Could you give us a bit more of an understanding?

Also, could you scope ahead to the work you think still remains to be done to provide a safe and secure environment for our interpreters?

[Matthew Ball]

Madam Chair, we've done a lot. In the immediate aftermath of the pandemic, we were really scurrying; I will admit it. Over the last two years, we've launched quite a few initiatives. I can speak to them briefly.

We've developed and implemented an interpreter hearing protection program. This involves training, research and testing in three areas: acoustics or sound, interpreting function and audiology. We shortened the assignment length—we did that immediately in the aftermath—from six hours at the microphone to four hours.

We've developed and implemented some technical requirements for our Government of Canada clients. These are now requirements. In order to be interpreted, speakers must use a directional external microphone. We've required sound tests before meetings to improve sound quality and to minimize disruptions.

We've sponsored ongoing research with external partners such as the National Research Council, here in the House of Commons facilities, and with the University of Geneva as well, to improve the working environment for our staff. I could say that we've had very close collaboration, not just with the House administration but with AIIC and the association as well.

[Jim Thompson, Communication and Parliamentary Advisor, International Association of Conference Interpreters - Canada Region]

If I may, Madam Chair, it's important to remember that freelance interpreters contribute to 45% of all the assignments that are done on the Hill, almost half, but do not have access to the programs and whatnot that Mr. Ball just talked about and are not able to file health and safety incident reports, because freelancers are just that—they're not employees.

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. If you'll forgive me, I am going to have to think about what you just said. I was on a—

[Jim Thompson]

I'm sorry. I interrupted.

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

That's just fine, and I'm glad you did.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bardish Chagger]

You have one minute left.

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

I have one minute, Mr. Ball.

Very quickly, we heard testimony that the testing is not adequate. Was the testing you did in the summer, or the latest round of testing, done using the unidirectional microphones that are now standard for members of Parliament and witnesses for House affairs? Is it done with the latest set of headsets that we have, the latest microphones?

[Matthew Ball]

We have asked the National Research Council to test the models of the directional microphones that the House of Commons is using. That is correct.

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

We will have the results of that at some point...?

[Matthew Ball]

Yes. There was a series of first tests. We're conducting more tests in October and we hope to get results shortly thereafter.

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bardish Chagger]

Ms. Gaudreau, you have the floor for six minutes.

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I'd like to thank the witnesses for giving us a better understanding of the conditions under which the interpreters are working and the issue facing us.

I'd like to thank the interpreters too.

I have several questions. I'd like to read them to make sure that I don't forget any.

Mr. Ball, you may have heard that on Tuesday, I asked some questions. I'd like to know how many interpreters are needed to deal with all the weekly committee meetings. There are usually 57 meetings a week.

That's very specific and all my questions will be specific.

[Matthew Ball]

Madam Chair, if I may, I'd like to ask Ms. Caroline Corneau, the Acting Vice-President, to answer that question.

I don't think it's going to be very easy to answer it. As the member just mentioned, there are 57 meetings a week, but it varies enormously. Of course it also depends on the length of the meeting.

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

If you haven't gone through that exercise, perhaps you could send us the information later. It's definitely going to be an important factor.

Do you have the answer, Ms. Corneau?

[Caroline Corneau, Acting Vice-President, Service to Parliament and Interpretation, Translation Bureau]

I can't in fact give you accurate numbers at the moment. However, I can say that we work with House of Commons administration to establish the schedule for 57 events. We currently have the capacity required to provide service for the 57 events you mentioned.

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Madam Chair, we're going to wait for the information about how many interpreters are needed to handle the weekly meetings.

I will leave you the time to go through the exercise on the basis of a typical week. That's what we want to know.

Before the pandemic, how many interpreters were needed to handle interpretation during the weekly meetings?

Perhaps you could give me answer a little later. What we want to know is what the numbers were prior to the pandemic and what the numbers are now.