Air Canada sees this as an issue of equality. Transport companies such as WestJet, Air Transat and others are not bound by the same obligations as Air Canada. Regardless of our legal obligations, we will meet our obligation to provide service to our clients in both official languages because that is what we must do to retain their loyalty: it makes business sense. If we cannot continue to provide services to our clients in the official language of their choice, then we will lose them. From a commercial viewpoint, we take this to heart.
WestJet, for example, decided against serving Quebec City because it could not recruit enough bilingual employees to serve that market. That company publicly stated that it would not serve Quebec City before it could achieve an adequate level of bilingualism. Quebec City is the Capital of Quebec and a government and business centre.
As Mr. Murphy pointed out, bilingualism is an asset for us because we have no problem in serving the Quebec market in both official languages. Yes, there are some cases in which we have not provided services in both official languages but I dare say that is the exception and not the rule.
Before Air Canada restructured and saved jobs, the level of bilingualism was 65%. After the restructuring, which ended up saving jobs, that level fell to less than 40%, due to the influx of unilingual anglophone employees into Air Canada's staff.
Unfortunately, because most of those employees had the most seniority, they obtained the best working hours and conditions. I do not blame those employees for that. However, at the time, the Senate and House of Commons Joint Standing Committee on Official Languages had recommended that Air Canada be assisted in integrating those employees, and that did not happen.