Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you for being here today, minister.
Minister, I'd like you to understand something of our committee's point of view. The committee's been in existence for 25 years, I think, and Air Canada's been causing us problems for 25 years. It's really the company that's done the most to drive us crazy. It's a real problem.
If there are fewer complaints against Air Canada today, I believe that's because people have given up. In my case, I travel from Winnipeg to Ottawa twice a week. I can tell you that I could file a complain every week. So I think that people have simply decided to stop complaining. The situation has gotten to that point. That has to be clear.
I can tell you that the Standing Committee on Official Languages did not necessarily agree on Bill C-47 at the outset. It's important to mention that. We agreed with the remarks by former Commissioner of Official Languages Diane Adam that all organizations reporting to Air Canada, such as Jazz and Aeroplan, should be subject to the Official Languages Act.
That's what concerns me. If we make it possible to dilute the scope of the act, if we permit corporations regulated by the federal government to split and then to stop complying with the Official Languages Act, they'll all do it. That would set a precedent.
That, honestly, is why this is a matter of concern. If the federal government doesn't defend the Official Languages Act, who will? I'm very disappointed that the government intends to proceed by order rather than set down this obligation in the act. I think that leaves room for subjectivity. It will be up to Cabinet to decide, if I'm not mistaken, which organizations will be subject to the act.
Please explain the situation to me because that's how I understand your intention.