Evidence of meeting #43 for Official Languages in the 39th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was bilingual.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Mr. Chairman, I would like to take these 30 seconds to thank Mr. Fraser for what he's doing for bilingualism in Canada. Thank you.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Guy Lauzon
Thank you, Mr. Godin.
We have the time for a fourth round's table of five minutes each, if all the committee members agree.
Let me ask Mr. Rodriguez to put the first question.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Ms. Boucher referred to the last issue of L'actualité. On the cover page there is the title “Le retour des séducteurs” or “The seducers are back”, and your photo is inside. Thus, Commissioner, it is a good choice for the title.
I would like to make a footnote because you said that during the three months that you have been in your position, you have received more than 100 complaints regarding the Court Challenges Program. I would like to know how many complaints you have received up to now.
Commissioner of Official Languages, Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
I think that it is 110, but we can say that it is over 100, and the investigation is still going on. We hope that it will be over...
Conservative
Liberal
Conservative
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
You referred to L'actualité. Therefore, I was looking at L'actualité and...
Conservative
Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Yes, but now, we are talking about the armed forces.
Conservative
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
On a point of order, Mr. Chairman.
I think that as parliamentarians, we can put the questions that we want to put. There is no need for the opposition to take over your responsibility as chairman.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Guy Lauzon
Perhaps we should stay with the subject of the Canadian Armed Forces.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
No, in my opinion, court challenges are relevant to the subject. If a soldier or a municipality or some other group wants to bring a challenge to court, it is relevant to the subject, and I do not see how it would go against the Standing Orders.
Conservative
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Of course.
Mr. Godin referred to a percentage. Earlier, you spoke of 80% of the manuals. I think that you wanted to verify the accuracy of this number. Because if it really is 80%, a unilingual francophone has practically no way of going ahead. Only a few crumbs are left.
Commissioner of Official Languages, Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
My own --entirely subjective --impression is that it depends on the trade. Training in French is available for certain trades and not so easy to obtain for other trades. However, I do not have any specific data to share with you regarding this.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
This brings to my mind... For instance, when purchasing a helicopter or some other item, do the instruction manuals have to be translated?
Commissioner of Official Languages, Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
It is a legal obligation.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Do all operational manuals for equipment have to be translated?
Commissioner of Official Languages, Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
It is certainly compulsory for training. Regarding the manuals that come with the purchased equipment, I know that there is some controversy regarding certain kinds of equipment.
Assistant Commissioner, Compliance Assurance Branch, Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
Of course, with the exception of cases where the said equipment and the manuals that come with it is really meant for a unilingual English speaking unit. In such cases, of course, there is no problem.
Obviously, the important thing is to have the French manuals available especially in bilingual regions. In addition, if the manual is published in one language, obviously, it must be translated for the unilingual regions of the other language.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
For instance, when a apparently bilingual soldier is transferred from Quebec to a bilingual position somewhere else, let us say Alberta, is there a reception structure ready to receive his family? For instance, if he moves with his wife and two children, are there any structures that allow this person to send his children to a French school?
Commissioner of Official Languages, Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
It all depends on the region. There have been cases in the past where soldiers were transferred to certain bases, in the belief that resources were locally available. In fact, they were non-existent. Some time ago, someone testified regarding a soldier who had been transferred from Quebec to Moose Jaw. In fact, there were no resources ready for him. The only available school was an immersion school for Anglophones. This created rather serious problems for his family.